A Hero's Second Chance
by ScarletRedfox
Summary: Zack Fair, 1st Class SOLDIER, managed to survive what he thought to be his final battle. Betrayed by everything he knew and left for dead, Zack gets a new chance at life when the Turks find him. But where is Cloud? He follows his dreams, his honor...and where does it lead him? In a bar at Midgar he himself has named and to a brunette beauty whom he thought he would never see again.
1. Zack's Fair Chance

**A/N:** Hi friends! *wave* Well, my second story so far! I changed a few things a bit (from the original in _Crisis Core_ ), or a lot. Zack is alive! Now I know a lot of passionate gamers out there (like myself) loved the "living legacy" and the promise he and Cloud had shared right before he (sniff) died. BUT I read a few stories where Zack had come back to life and I tried my own. I won't be spoiling you the content of the story though!

 **INFO ON CHAPTER:** The beginning is written in _italics_ since it's a dream sequence of what Zack dreamed happened when the Turks found him just outside of Midgar.

 **Update 25.11.2017:** It may take a while, considering my other prompts and requests, but I plan on rewriting this story (plot stays the same) with only improvements in sentence structures and the like. :)

 ** _Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy Advent Children (as well as every other Final Fantasy game). I just own the plot thank you very much!_**

* * *

 ** _Zack's Fair Chance_**

* * *

 _Reno was manoeuvring the helicopter expertly and pushing it to its limits._

 _They had to get there before those Shinra lap dogs did! They were close but not quite._

 _Reno sped up, Cissnei sitting behind him and readying her shuriken for use._

 _Rude was looking outside. Rocky terrain, they were very close._

 _"_ _Reno!" Rude suddenly shouted and the redhead tensed at the alarm in his partner's voice._

 _Reno's head snapped to the side, in the direction where Rude was pointing at on the ground._

 _His eyes widened, what the-!_

 _Reno quickly lowered the bird, the two figures finally came into clear view._

 _The once rocky terrain was a blood bath, corpses of the Shinra army division covered the terrain for presumably miles, two helicopters were destroyed, and one man remained standing._

 _He was tall, black spiky hair was wild and covered in blood here and there, his 1_ _st_ _Class SOLDIER garb was bloody, covered with bullet holes and torn beyond repair, his black baggy pants were torn._

 _His eyes, the colour of the sky, were tired and angry, he still had some fight left in him. Reno and the rest quickly jumped out of the helicopter, the 1_ _st_ _Class SOLDIER, immediately, moved protectively in front of his mako poisoned comrade, who was lying motionlessly against a boulder._

 _The SOLDIER bared his teeth like an angry wolf, tightening his grip on the bloodied, intimidating sword._

 _The sword was almost the same size as it's wielder and as broad as him._

 _Cissnei moved forward, which caused the SOLDIER to growl deeply in his throat like a wild animal, the sound nearly inhuman in it's guttural texture. She held up her hands in a placating motion, her movements slow and carefully approaching the panting SOLDIER, "Calm down. We aren't your enemies, we abandoned the Turks and came here as quickly as possible before Shinra but…" she looked at the terrifying blood bath before her._

 _Reno cleared his throat loudly,"Hey, yo. Don't worry, we will get your friend fixed up. You look like you need some fixing up too."_

 _Rude nodded, eyeing the various wounds littered across the panting SOLDIER._

 _However, his comatose blond friend didn't have a single scratch on him. He must have been protecting him with everything he had._

 _Finally, the SOLDIER spoke in a deep, strained voice, "How do I know…I can trust you?" his eyes glowed a vibrant blue, full of mistrust and bloodlust and rage._

 _Cissnei straightened and ripped off her badge classifying her as a Turk as well as her ID and stomped it repeatedly with her foot._

 _She held her head high when she looked directly at him, "You helped us. You saved me once too. We are friends, whether you like it or not and we won't allow you to die!"_

 _T_ _he man looked at her, long and hard._

 _Before slamming his sword into the ground and leaning heavily on it, blood was covering his right eye as he painted out in a hoarse voice, "Alright. I'll trust you. Take care of Cloud…he has a severe case of mako addiction…"_

 _Cissnei nodded and went to the comatose Cloud while Rude and Reno approached the SOLDIER._

 _He was barely conscious when they moved on either side of him to support him, "Thanks... a lot for the help, I'm... Zack Fair. First_ _Class SOLDIER at your…-"_

 _He suddenly started falling forward, finally losing his footing on shaky legs as he breathed out, "-….s-service…"_

 _Rude caught him by the shoulders guards, careful of his gaping wounds at...well everywhere._

 _Reno quickly started the helicopter again while the two former Turks carried the two inside along with the sword._

 _Cissnei immediately used Restore on Zack and cure materia as well as two powerful healing materia._

 _She used another healing materia on Cloud to slow and drastically reduce the effects of his mako poisoning. She wasn't a healer but she brought a whole arsenal of healing materias and whatnot just in case, it was a good thing too._

 _Reno briefly glanced behind him, "So, this Zack guy…he defeated the whole army division?" his question seemed pointless, since they themselves have seen the numerous corpses littering the ground like leaves under a tree in autumn._

 _Cissnei was quiet for a moment, eyes scanning the dead-looking dark haired man, watching how his shredded chest lifted and lowered with shallow breaths, "By the looks of it, yeah."_

" _By the looks of it, there were at least 900 of the bastards, if not a lot more. There were at least 20 in each helicopter and there were ground troops for miles on end. Easily a thousand or two," Rude adjusted his shades, locking gazes with Reno._

 _Cissnei looked sadly at the wounded man, her voice a mere whisper, "A thousand SOLDIERs against one. Not very fair..."_

 _Reno nodded clicking his tongue, "Yeah, but this dude killed them all. Though they roughed him up good. I'm surprised though blondie didn't have a single scratch on him."_

 _Cissnei looked at the unconscious Cloud, "That's Cloud Strife, he is just a normal Shinra infantryman. I saw the two before, in the forest, they were running away from Professor Hojo. Zack said they were captured by him and used as experiments for over 3 years. Zack managed to resist the effects because of his SOLDIER training but Cloud wasn't accepted into SOLDIER so he didn't have the same program."_

 _Rude crossed his arms,"That's easy to explain. But how do you explain one SOLDIER First_ _defeating an entire Shinra division? One would think even Sephiroth would have had difficulties. And I heard Zack was promoted First_ _Class not too long ago."_

 _Cissnei was quiet, not knowing how to explain this absurd situation._

 _Reno sighed, looking at the wasteland, "Easy. He's a freakin' monster! How else would you explain? And the blonde kid doesn't have a scratch on him! What's up with them anyway? Brothers?" he rose an eyebrow curiously._

 _Cissnei shook her head, "No, they met on a mission to Modeoheim with Tseng. Their helicopter crashed and they had to hike up the mountains. He said they were country boys, Zack from Gongaga and Cloud from Nibelheim and I guess they bonded well over time, despite the gap between ranks."_

 _Reno's voice was thoughtful, detached even, "Country boys huh?" glancing at them briefly._

* * *

"How long until he recovers fully?" Cissnei asked standing with her companions, this time Tseng was with them.

The tall military doctor clad in white looked over the patient's chart again, "The man whom you said used to be a SOLDIER, a First Class no less, sustained various bullet wounds, slashes from swords and burns from what looked like missiles. His wounds were deep and severe, he lost a lot of blood, but he is recovering surprisingly nicely. A piece of warning however, under no circumstances is he allowed on the battlefield or any sort of training program until his injuries fully heal and until he feels no pain while walking or breathing. I know SOLDIER's training program, especially for a First Class. As long as you make sure there is no strain on him he should be fine."

The former group of Turks nodded and thanked the doctor before leaving the room Zack was in. After making sure they were gone, Zack slowly opened his eyes and let them adjust to the light.

Damn it…for how long was he out of commission anyway?

He slowly turned his head to the side, seeing a new set of SOLDIER uniform laid out for him. The uniform was new, but when he looked at the neatly folded clothes on the pristine white stool the image was replaced with a bloodied, torn and bullet-ridden set. He shook his head, grabbing at it with his hand until he noticed it was wrapped in bandages, a few stray spikes protruding from it. He rubbed over the soft material of the bandage, hitting a sore spot when he pressed near the front above his forehead.

…So that was where he got shot…he was surprised he hadn't kicked the bucket a lot sooner.

Zack looked at the closed door, breathing deeply as he stared at his hands, he heard what the doctor said, loud and clear. His right arm was in a thick gauze, his chest bandaged and he felt numerous stitches stretching over his skin as he moved slightly.

He hissed in pain and slowly settled back down, his eyes were closed as he asked the seemingly empty room, "For how long will you be eavesdropping, Tseng?" the door opened slowly and Tseng, still in his uniform sans the black tie, came inside. Zack hadn't known him particularly long but he knew he could trust him, even if he was tight and upright.

Tseng observed him for a minute before offering a small smile, "Glad to see you progressing well Zack." he looked on the ground and Zack could tell how his shoulders stiffened, "I…I'm sorry we couldn't arrive sooner…if we did you wouldn't-"

Zack's cheery reply caught Tseng off guard, "It's alright!" The former Turk's head shot up in surprise, Zack's smile brightened, "Just a few scratches, right? I'll be up in no time at all!" his smile turned serious but still retained the warm, cheery tone, "If you hadn't arrived at the time you did, I would have died and Cloud would have been captured sooner or later by Shinra. So, I own you our lives."

Tseng tensed, confusion all over his face, "Cloud? Cloud Strife the infantryman? The country boy?"

Zack nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah! You know, when we went to Modeoheim and our plane crashed? But you must have seen him with me! We were heading to Midgar when Shinra caught up with us, so I hid him behind a boulder to fight against the bastards."

Tseng crossed his arms, a troubled look contorting his Wutaian features, "Zack…what is the last thing you remember?"

The former First Class SOLDIER scratched his head thoughtfully before slowly replying, " Cloud's face…one side of his face was bloody and he had tears in his eyes and he was holding Buster. I didn't know why, we won right?" Zack turned serious, a sense of dread filling him the minute he asked the question and Tseng took far too long to answer, "Tseng, where _is_ Cloud?"

The former Turk straightened, looking guilty and slightly confused, "To tell you the truth…I…don't know where he is."

Before the words could impact him, Zack straightened a little in his sitting position on the bed, "What do you mean? Cloud was right beside me before I blacked out."

Tseng sighed heavily, "You were alone, barely alive at all. We thought you were dead until we felt you had a shallow pulse. We searched everywhere but we didn't find Cloud, we thought Shinra may have got him. Then we saw a trail of footsteps leading away from you, it looked like Cloud took the Buster Sword."

Zack's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "But why would he-?" and suddenly images flashed in his mind's eye.

Shinra…

Him hiding Cloud, talking to him one last time before going to his death…

him standing with Buster before the whole division, his last thoughts on his dear mentor and father-figure, his best friend and his girlfriend.

…the bullets, the pain, the missiles, his flesh tearing apart, the blood surging up his throat and his insides burning and falling apart…

Wait…it all made sense now. He killed everyone but three remaining infantrymen, who gunned him down lastly. Then he blacked out, he saw Cloud next to him, he was still fuzzy from the mako but he had heard Zack when he said he should live for the both of them, to live out his dreams and honour…to become his living legacy.

It was _him_ that gave Cloud the sword, the same one that Angeal had given him.

He was sure he had died. He had blacked out after that, didn't feel or see or hear anything. He was _sure_ it would be his last battle to fight, his last view of the world he was born and raised in and the sad truth it reflected at him as the rain poured over him and washed the earth from all the blood that's been spilled that day.

Tseng cut through his thoughts like a knife, "Zack?" he waited for the injured man to respond, seeming to be focused on a spot in the room.

Finally, after several agonizing minutes, Zack slowly shook his head, his voice nothing but a whisper," I… remember…"

Tseng frowned, "What do you remember exactly?" at this, Zack closed his eyes in thought.

His eyes opened soon after, focusing finally on the former Turk as he said, "Everything, Tseng. Me fighting a larger division of SOLDIER, when I was finally gunned down, I lost consciousness until Cloud came to my side to watch me die. I gave him the Buster Sword from Angeal, telling him to live his dreams and retain his honour, to become… my living legacy."

Tseng's eyes widened for a fraction in surprise, "Do you have any idea where he might have gone?"

Zack remembered the truck ride, where a nice middle aged man took them towards-

…Midgar…

 _Midgar!_

Zack jumped, leaning forward towards Tseng, "He went to Midgar!" he punched his open palm, wincing in pain as it pulled at his wounds and stitches and _hurt_.

Tseng looked at his old friend in surprise, "Why do you think that? He may have headed for Nibelheim."

But Zack shook his head firmly his tone dripping with conviction, "No, no, no. We talked – or I did anyway – about opening our own business that does everything in Midgar! Before Shinra ambushed us we were heading there!"

 _We were headed home!_

"What do you propose we do?" Tseng's gaze narrowed when a smirk curled at Zack's lips, the familiar grin stretching his features that indicated Zack had a bad idea.

Excitement and hope pulsed in his chest and Zack's blue eyes glowed brighter than ever, "Well, I haven't seen Midgar in a while…"

 **Tell me what you think! Reviews are very much appreciated, gotta work on my (non) existent/very limited story writing skills! Oh also, English isn't exactly my first language (more like second) so don't hesitate to pinpoint one or the other stray mistake! I hope you enjoyed it!**


	2. Training and Memories

**Chapter 2 Training and Memories**

 ** _Thanks a lot for the reviews! I appreciate the critics! Sorry for the extremely long paragraphs, I'll try to separate them into smaller segments so it can be read easily! :D BTW: Should I try making a story with Fairy Tail characters? I'm following it actively and gambled with the idea for a while now. Prompts and wishes are welcome!_**

* * *

Zack grinned as he deflected a solid hit from Reno's electric rod with a standard SOLDIER sword, since Zack had given Cloud the Buster sword, he had no other weapon on his person. Fortunately, Tseng had managed to get him a sword, how he didn't know and he wasn't sure he wanted to.

Reno came at Zack frontally while Rude sneaked in from his blind spot, his back. Or so he thought.

Zack jumped high in the air and slammed the hilt of the sword against Reno's rod, sending it flying. He simultaneously round house kicked Rude against his side, who tried protecting it with his arms crossed. Rude grunted from the powerful blow, this wasn't normal 1st Class strength.

He looked at the fierce, glowing mako orbs. A typical SOLDIER trademark, but his gut was telling him _something_ was different with this one.

Cissnei interrupted the fight with a simple greeting:" Everyone.", the men stopped their sparring. Zack attached his sword to his back and crossed his arms.

Cissnei cleared her throat and said:" I have some news to tell you. Tseng and I heard from trustworthy sources that a eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE is causing chaos in Midgar. Shinra tried intercepting them but they are exceptionally strong.".

Reno said with a cocky smirk:" Tch, AVALANCHE? What sorta lame name is that for a terrorist group anyway? Maybe SOLDIER lost their touch.", with a taunting look at Zack.

Zack glared at him playfully before saying:" Why don't we investigate? I'm feeling fit again and I'm curious about AVALANCHE. And it's Midgar! We have to go there anyway!". The dark haired man grinned cheerfully. While he did mature over time he still retained that optimistic and energetic personality of his.

Tseng explained while joining the little group:" AVALANCHE, the second group that is, opposes Shinra because of their misuse of Mako energy. They believe Shinra is draining the Planet's life energy and use it for their own selfish purposes, causing destruction, creating mako enhanced super soldiers who love to fight and kill.".

Zack's voice broke the silence:" The Planet's life force? You mean the Lifestream?", with an affirmative nod from Tseng, Zack quietened down.

How could Shinra do this? What about honour? Weren't they ashamed for doing that?

Suddenly, Zack felt utterly disgusted with himself. He was once part of SOLDIER, the military servicing the Shinra Electric Power Company…he shook his head and stared at his gloved hands. Angeal and Genesis were right…Sephiroth too…they all turned their backs to SOLDIER because they saw what was _really_ going on.

No….they didn't turn their backs on SOLDIER…but on Shinra. Angeal always carried the SOLDIER name with pride and honour, Sephiroth had enjoyed the fame he attained from being the best of the best in SOLDIER and Genesis also made a name for himself.

The military was using the resources that were there to use for their own advantage, while Shinra was the one executing all those atrocious actions against the people and the Planet.

Cissnei suggested after seeing the look on Zack's face:" Perhaps we should head to Midgar? We need to buy supplies, new weapons and some more materia. I have a feeling we shouldn't underestimate AVALANCHE.".

With a chorus of agreement, everyone scattered to prepare for the long journey. Shinra and SOLDIER still weighing heavily on Zack's mind. His fist clenched in anger, he knew his parents and Angeal would disapprove of the thought of vengeance. But Zack swore himself he would try to fix everything Shinra and SOLDIER did, starting with Midgar.

* * *

 **Greetings everyone! I hope I have some faithful followers (be they guests or not) who read my stories (*cough* beginner stories *cough*). Right! The former Turks and Zack finally head to Midgar to investigate AVALANCHE. What are the odds that it's finally the moment where he and his best friend meet again? After a year of being apart? We will see!**


	3. Midgar

**Greetings everyone! I hope I have some faithful followers (be they guests or not) who read my stories (*cough* beginner stories *cough*). Right! The former Turks and Zack finally head to Midgar to investigate AVALANCHE. What are the odds that it's finally the moment where he and his best friend meet again? After a year of being apart? We will see!**

 **Thank you for all your reviews! I appreciate the effort and productive feedback! :D**

 ** _Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy (whole franchise), I just own the plot thank you very much!_**

 **Chapter 3: Midgar**

The odd team were soaring through the skies with little to no turbulence at all, thanks to Reno's expert skills. The red haired male asked with a bored look in his eyes:" So, for the protocol, the oh so fearsome enemies who kill all the Shinra fan boys are an _eco-_ terrorist group?".

Cissnei was typing something on her laptop at rapid speed while she answered:" For the protocol, they don't _kill_ them. They turn them into the authorities or make them reveal sensitive information about the inner workings of Shinra and their future plans, as far as my resources go. There isn't much information though. According to my resources, this group consists of 8 people.

Barret Wallace, a man with a semi-automatic gun/prosthetic metal arm as his right arm, leader of AVALANCHE, bears personal drudges against Shinra, from Corel Village, has an adoptive daughter, classified as fairly dangerous on the battlefield.

Cid Highwind, chain smoker, loud and foul mouthed, master engineer and pilot, wields a spear in battle and can hold his own, though it would be unwise to put him in a airship since he could cause heavy damage with it, whether it's equipped with weapons or not.", Reno perked up at this, interested in the guy that claimed to be a "master engineer and pilot".

Cissnei continued after reading data on her laptop:" Yuffie Kisaragi, from Wutai, the youngest member of the group, rebellious and loud mouthed, she is a ninja and a thief, cunning and not to be underestimated in battle due to her young age, she…wields a large shuriken, she is also a passionate materia hunter and very protective of her findings."

She took a deep breath and mumbled:" Hm… Cait Sith, a talking cat it seems though it's unclear if he is a official member of AVALANCHE or not… then there is a lion-wolf-like species among them, his tattoo depicts him as "Red XIII" but his members call him "Nanaki". His species is either long extinct or he is a failure from Hojo and escaped his lab, his species is nowhere classified. He often joins the group on fights and fought against large creatures such as Shadow Creepers by himself without sustaining moderate injuries…"

Her eyes narrowed, Zack, who was sitting opposite of her asked:" What?", with a curious eyebrow raised.

Cissnei cleared her throat and continued:" The last member… she seems so familiar…", she shook her head and continued:" The last member…Tifa Lockhart, seemingly the heart of AVALANCHE. My people told me many of the members of AVALANCHE depict her as leader and depend on her mostly alongside a shadowy, still unknown figure, the figure seems to be male and rides on a motorcycle and wears dark clothing, but he covers his face with a dark cloth. Lockhart had managed to take down a Behemoth by herself and a Bahamut before, she is fighting in close combat and uses black leather gloves. Reports say that she was able to beat up men and SOLDIERs thrice her size and went up against armed forces as well. She seems to be a real threat alongside the unknown man.".

The redhead paused before slowly saying:" The shadowy character who is almost always beside her…the man seems to protect her often and mostly sticks to her out of everyone from the group. He wields a large sword that can… disassemble into smaller swords and fuse together again on his command. He is an expert swordsman and seems to be romantically involved with Lockhart.".

….Tifa Lockhart? Zack paused, he asked:" …Do you have a picture?".

Cissnei's head snapped towards the former SOLDIER and asked:" What?",

Zack blinked and asked again:" Do you have a picture or anything of Tifa Lockhart?",

Tseng shook his head and said:" Our sources didn't have any chance of taking such information for the risk of being spotted. Why are you asking Zack?", he looked at the other male suspiciously.

Zack held his hands up and said with a light chuckle:" Hey, hey. Can't a guy ask? Who knows? Maybe she's a real catch!", he offered them a large, toothy grin with a wink. Tseng and Cissnei sighed before continuing their work.

As soon as their eyes were averted from his face, Zack's smile dropped. He looked out the window, his gaze hard and contemplating. Why did the name impact him so?

 _Tifa…_ He knew that name, he _knew_ it from somewhere! But where? He never remembered dating anyone before Aerith with the name of "Tifa". He thought long and hard. His mako blue orbs turned to the former female Turk in front of him.

He asked:" Cissnei, you didn't say from where she came from."

Somehow, she knew who she meant. She quickly typed something into her laptop and read through data quickly, then she answered:" Nibelheim.".

Zack's eyes widened, his grip on his pants leg tightened until his knuckles turned white. That, of course, didn't go unnoticed by Tseng but he chose not to comment. He would find out with time. And it seemed Zack wasn't up for storytelling either.

 _Nibelheim…_

 _The fire…_

 _Sephiroth…_

 _Cloud…_

 _Tifa…_

 _Tifa! Tifa!_

 _Zack quickly ran towards the fallen form of one young Tifa Lockhart, just 15 years of age, 3 years her senior. He kneeled down and carefully moved her so she rested against his leg and arm, his eyes widened when he saw a large, bleeding gash across her chest. He quickly wrapped a blanket he found in the corner around her to stop the bleeding, she was injured heavily._

 _Her chocolate, ruby orbs slowly opened, washed in pain and betrayal and hurt…all directed towards him… she said with a breathless, strained voice:" You…you said you only came here to i-investigate…what have you d-done…h-he destroyed m-my village….m-my family… I-I lost everything! All because of you people! I hate Shinra! I hate SOLDIER! And I…I hate you!"._

 _His face was frozen in horror…the look on her face, tears streaming down her cheeks… His grip tightened protectively around her, he may have not known her long, but if she meant so much to Cloud, a close friend of his, then she must be an amazing person…one who didn't deserve this. Feelings of shame and guilt consumed him, he gently, carefully lowered her on the ground, ripping off a piece of the blanket to act as a pillow for her head, he gently removed the bangs out of her eyes… Shinra…SOLDIER…Sephiroth… why? That was the only thing running through his mind now. His blood boiling with anger, how could they do this to those people?! To Cloud? To Tifa?!_

 _Tifa…_

 _Flashback End_

 **Hi there. Cliffhaaaaannggeerrr! (grin) Sorry, I thought if I ended it with a flashback of the incident at Nibelheim it may offer some anticipation of what will come next. So yeah, Zack remembered Tifa, surprise! Do keep in mind that their relationship (gasp) will evolve as the story progresses, so it won't be "love at first sight" or stuff like that, not really into that either. Ahem… from now on (I guess) it will be following** ** _"Advent Children"_** **, loosely. Read & Review please! Tell me what you think and what needs improvement! **


	4. AVALANCHE

**Hey there! I want to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews! (embarrassed giggle) Thanks for the compliments on my English, I was afraid I was getting rusty ^^. And this story is Zack &Tifa! Though I also ship Zerith (Zack&Aerith) more, recently I started slowly warming up to the idea of a relationship between Zack and Tifa. I love Cloud (and Zack, Tifa, Aerith…) but not many writers concentrated on a different perspective. **

**I'm not trying by any means to put Cloud in a bad light or anything, but what if Zack was alive, Cloud completely isolated from everyone** ** _before_** **contracting Geostigma and leaving Tifa alone all the time with Marlene? I think Tifa would appreciate Zack's company and the two would get along great. Here, I wanted to try to deepen the connection and focus more on Cloud leaving Tifa all alone.**

 ** _Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot!_**

 **Chapter 4: AVALANCHE**

Within two hours, the group arrived at…Midgar. Or at least what used to be Midgar. Zack looked outside through the windows, observing the unknown territory. Where the hell was this? This wasn't Midgar!

Tseng sensed Zack's confusion and said:" A lot has changed while you were in your comatose state, Zack. A meteor left Midgar in ruins, the people rebuilt a city from those ruins and now it's called "Edge"."

Zack turned to look at him and asked:" Meteor? How did a _meteor_ of all things become a threat to the planet?", Tseng and Cissnei shared a look before nodding.

Cissnei explained:" You see, Shinra converted the Lifestream into mako energy for materia and other…purposes. Sephiroth became power hungry, while he was travelling the Lifestream he discovered how to injure the Planet enough so it could use the Lifestream as an defensive mechanism and absorb it's power source to presumably become a "god". With the use of the Black Materia, Meteor can be summoned."

Zack inquired with a surprised expression:" So, it's an offensive spell? Doesn't sound like it could be learned.", accompanied with a rub to his chin.

Tseng interjected:" No, nothing like that. It's the most offensive spell one can imagine. It can destroy the entire planet. AVALANCHE had tried to stop it, as did Shinra of course, the only other spell that can stop it is Holy. Sephiroth however was blocking the chance to use Holy against Meteor and everything seemed hopeless. However, in the end the one who destroyed Meteor is the Planet itself.".

Cissnei clarified at seeing Zack's perplexed expression:" The Planet used the Lifestream as a weapon to counter and destroy Meteor. With success. The Lifestream managed to push Meteor away enough to allow Holy to destroy it. However…Meteor had already done it's damage. Midgar was damaged beyond repair, many casualties occurred, facilities destroyed… Mako wasn't used anymore for the reconstruction because people believed they felt indebted to the Lifestream for saving them. Using mako energy only meant that the Lifestream would become weak once again and nobody wanted a repeat of the events. So, they used what little fossil fuels and other resources were available."

Zack took this all in…wow. He missed out on quite a lot huh… he hoped Tifa was alright…and of course Cloud…he must be in "Edge" somewhere. But he did wonder… why was Tifa in Edge? And in AVALANCHE, an eco-terrorist group? He understood her grudge against Shinra….and Sephiroth for burning down Nibelheim…

Rude suddenly spoke up:" But this isn't all. Because the Lifestream pushing Meteor back it lost a portion of its power, Jenova cells managed to taint the Lifestream. Anyone coming into contact with the tainted Lifestream will contract Geostigma – an incurable disease."

Zack asked while crossing his arms:" Geostigma? An incurable disease?", he shot Tseng and Cissnei a concerned frown.

Tseng shifted in his seat and replied:" Yes. A symptom of alien matter infesting the body, because the body's natural defensive mechanism tries to eliminate the unknown threat, it grows weak and eventually the body cannot sustain itself any longer and perishes. There are ways, very limited, to slow the effects but not permanently stop it."

The former SOLDIER's face hardened, damn. An incurable disease? Just what Midgar – Edge – needed. He sighed heavily and focused his blue eyes ahead, he asked:" When will we land?".

Reno grinned and said while directing the helicopter down:" Now.", they landed surprisingly fast with little to no turbulences, Zack had to give him credit. The guy knew how to handle a helicopter, that much was for sure.

As the group exited the helicopter, Tseng said taking the lead:" I suggest heading to AVALANCHE's primary hideout."

Zack's eyes widened in surprise and he lowered his arms from stretching over his head:" What? You know their hideout?! Seriously?"

Cissnei answered:" Yes, it wasn't hard to figure out either.", the group walked for a bit, moving through the more empty alleyways to try and not attract attention to themselves. Zack looked at all the people around him, at the unknown surroundings, the new world… He spotted a little boy crouched in pain on the ground, without thinking, he immediately rushed to him.

Kneeling down, Zack asked the boy with a hand on his quivering shoulder:" Hey! You ok there buddy? What's wrong? Are you hurt?". The little boy lifted his head hesitantly, his gray eyes filled with fear and pain. Zack's heart tightened painfully at that, but he saw no injuries on the boy. Suddenly, the boy lurched forward violently, clutching at his shoulder. Zack moved the sleeve of his shirt out of the way and froze. Black. Liquid. There was a black liquid substance of some sort dripping down the boys arm, obviously the cause of his pain. Zack grit his teeth and shouted:" Oi! Come here and help-", a hand was forcefully clamped on his mouth and he was dragged away from the boy by Rude.

After a few feet away, Zack pried himself away from the larger man and snarled:" Hey! That kid needs help! He's in pain! We have to go back and help him-",

Tseng cut him off with his gaze directed to the ground:" That was a boy infected with Geostigma, Zack…", the SOLDIER's body froze.

"Geostigma…", his deep voice muttered, solemnly. Fists tightened at his sides.

Zack suddenly _really_ looked around himself. Everyone had that lifeless look about them, not even the children were playing. The children…they had Geostigma…

This new world…this new threat… what happened to the world? Have so many things gone wrong? Zack felt helpless…and he hated that feeling with every fibber of his being.

Reno said:" Let's go. We are wasting time, yo.", with that the group continued their walk. Zack's mind still plagued by thoughts of Geostigma, Edge and the world.

They were nearing a two story tall building, which looked more of a bar than anything else. As they moved closer, Zack was able to read what the sign on the front read.

 ** _7_** ** _th_** ** _Heaven_**

Wait….7th Heaven? That name sounded extremely familiar…of course! He remembered an elderly man had come to him one day, indecisive about what to name his newly opened bar. So, Zack offered to name it "7th Heaven". Did the old man really name it after his suggestion? Well, only option is to investigate.

Tseng entered first, followed by Cissnei and with Zack taking up the rear. Instead of seeing the figure of the old man he was expecting to see, he saw the figure of a woman behind the bar, wiping the counter clean with a white rag. Her dark brown hair swayed gently as she turned her head to look at the new customers.

Their eyes locked.

It hit Zack like an oncoming train.

The face…it was almost the same, the same dark brown hair, those warm eyes…this was…this was…

 _Tifa…_

The woman moved from behind the counter and with a look of utter shock and disbelief on her face and asked:" Z-Zack?"

It was her.

It was Tifa Lockhart.

 **Phew! Finally over! It's way too late to stay up and my eyes are barely open, so I sincerely hope I didn't do too many major mistakes *yawn*. Well, the end of chapter 4! I'll try to update frequently. Please tell me what you think my dear readers! Feel free to ask questions/ share your opinions! :3 DragonRedfox over and definitely out like a light. *yawn***


	5. The Face of the Girl I saw that Day

**Back again! Well, now that I'm not a walking zombie anymore I just want to thank for the great reviews! It really boost my motivation to continue writing if it makes some readers happy!**

 **Weringale: Thanks a lot for the compliments! (giggles) I feel the same, favourite ship Cloti (CloudX Tifa) and then Zack &Tifa, though I have nothing against Zerith (Zack and Aerith). ****J** **I'll be trying to post new chapters everyday or every week.**

 **Things are getting interesting with the group and AVALANCHE now! Tifa obviously recognized Zack and he recognized her but the question is…what will happen? Will she throw them out and blame Zack for destroying Nibelheim? Is she angry at him for what Shinra and SOLDIER did? Will there be a fight? Well, continue on reading to find out!**

 ** _Disclaimer: I don't own anything, just the plot really!_**

 **Chapter 5: The Face of the Girl I saw that Day**

 _Tifa…_

It felt like the world went dark, until the only thing he could see was _her…_

 _The fire…_

 _Sephiroth…_

 _Nibelheim…_

 _Pain, betrayal…_

 _I hate Shinra! I hate SOLDIER! And I…I hate you!_

His veins felt like an icy veil settled over them, his blood running cold, his throat burning with the intensity of the flames that had consumed and destroyed _her_ hometown…

The woman asked again, a hand slowly covering her mouth:" Z-Zack? Zack Fair?", her eyes were only looking at him. And he felt the guilt almost suffocate him. He didn't deserve this… being alive, getting a second chance…none of it.

Tseng noticed the nearly suffocating, tension-filled atmosphere and cleared his throat loudly. The woman looked at him as if seeing him for the first time.

Tseng asked:" Excuse me, but are you Tifa Lockhart?",

Silence.

Zack's body tensed when the woman nodded and answered in a slightly deeper, but still feminine voice than all those years ago:" Y-yes, I'm Tifa. I own this bar. But…who are you?",

Her gaze swept over each member, lastly landing and staying on Zack.

Cissnei explained:" I'm not sure if you remember us, but we are former Turks. We defected over a year ago. This man here is-",

Tifa interrupted still retaining the look of disbelief on her face:" Zack Fair, SOLDIER 1st Class."

Zack's eyes widened a fraction, so she remembered. All his instincts were screaming at him to never come back, flee, vanish from the face of the earth because of the crestfallen, hurt look in her ruby, brown eyes.

He braced himself for whatever punishment she wanted to bestow on him, after all he deserved it. She looked furious, her eyes blazing as bright as the sun itself.

He expected a slap, a kick, _anything._

But instead, he felt her lithe, but surprisingly strong arms wrap around his middle, one hand fisting his long, spiky black hair tightly while the other hugged his strong torso close to her soft physique.

He felt the shakes before he heard her sobs of pain. He was frozen, he had no idea what to do. Why…was was she _hugging him?!_

He was surprised when her voice sounded close to his hear, quiet, shy, hurtful but relieved and warm nonetheless:" Z-Zack…you…y-you…"

She hugged him tighter against her and choked out:" Y-you're a-alive…",

Zack finally managed to process everything and slowly, hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around her.

He wasn't sure if he was crossing a line, since before he was proclaimed "dead" they hadn't really interacted. And what little interaction they had was him getting to know her as a "tour guide" to the mako reactor and her telling him she hated him and Shinra.

But when Tifa's embrace only drew him closer to her, his hesitancy flew out of the window. He had no idea why, but he felt strong emotions rushing through his system. He felt extremely happy, relieved and excited all at once. He grip was almost bruising as he hugged her tightly against himself, stroking her shoulder length hair softly and rubbing her back to soothe her sobs.

She felt so warm, so soft. He felt how warm and welcome she was and how-

- _curvy._ Zack blinked, eh? Wait a minute…she was no longer 15! His mind reeled for a split second, get a grip on yourself!

He cursed in his scrambled mind, this was _no_ time getting _flustered_ like some little boy over _this._

He grip lessened some to let her breath and not accidentally crush her ribcage, but she looked comfortable right where she was.

He whispered close to her ear so the rest didn't overhear:" Hey, there. Yeah, guess I am. I…I missed you,", he quickly remembered his best friend and felt foolish for some reason.

He quickly added:"- a-and Cloud too of course!".

The woman in his arms giggled lightly and when he slowly pulled away to look at her face, she flashed him a full on smile. Filled with warmth and acceptance and friendliness.

Something he didn't see in a long time…

The price you pay when joining SOLDIER… war, death, blood, losing family, losing _yourself_.

 _The price of freedom is steep._

His words echoed back to him and he silently had to agree.

But here, in this bar, with Tifa and the rest, he felt as if he never experienced any of the grotesque things he did and saw in his time at SOLDIER.

He snapped out of his darkening thoughts and flashed a bright, warm grin at Tifa. Who returned it again with one of her own warm smiles and a quick, but meaningful hug.

They practically sprang apart when Reno this time, cleared his throat, it was evident he did it on purpose.

Tifa found herself blushing in embarrassment, she slowly backed away a little from the tall, dark and handsome SOLDIER and said:" Right! W-well, would you like anything to drink or eat? Please have a seat!".

Cissnei offered a small smile and nodded, she asked:" If it isn't too much to ask though, we have some business to discuss with you."

Tifa furrowed her eyebrows, confused. She asked:" With me? What could you possibly have to discuss with me about business?"

Tseng replied:" We know you are the leader of AVALANCHE, the eco-terrorist group hunting down Shinra."

Tifa's back straightened, her eyes turning sharp and focused in a matter of seconds. Zack found himself intrigued at the protective stance she took, she reminded him of a fighter. Or rather of his own mother which tried protecting him from soldiers or rogue robbers whenever they tried raiding Gongaga, his mom was a fighter, trained by his father in case things like this happened.

Tifa said sharply:" I'm not the leader, but I am a part of AVALANCHE. Just tell me this, what are your intentions?", her eyes flashed briefly to Zack.

Reno raised his hands and said:" Hey, hey there yo. We ain't here to cause any trouble, toots. We just want some info, alright? We want to bring down Shinra cause of their inhuman ways of treating people and shit."

Tifa's stance relaxed, Zack noted she had moved closer to a door behind the bar, which led to a staircase. What was up there that she was so protective of? His confusion increased until he heard a young feminine voice yell out:" Tifa!"

Now he understood. A little girl, no older than maybe five or six, came running down the same staircase Tifa was standing in front of. She clutched her leg when she saw the unknown people in the room. The girl looked almost like a spitting image of Tifa herself. Dark brown, almost black, hair framed her face, her long hair was braided at the back and he saw a red bow peeking out from both sides, she had large, almond shaped brown eyes.

Her stance indicated she was scared and wary of the intruders but her eyes were dancing a different tune, they were fierce. Like Tifa's were a few seconds ago.

Zack stepped forward slowly, trying not to appear intimidating to the little girl. He said gently:" Tifa, please don't worry. They are good people, they saved me and fixed me back up. They left the Turks to fight against Shinra and SOLDIER instead. We want to help you fighting Shinra."

Zack noticed the look the little girl was giving him, he kneeled down cautiously and said cheerfully:" Why hello there young lady! Don't worry we won't hurt you or anything we really just want to talk. I'm Zack by the way!", he held his hand out, his smile warm and open.

The little girl hesitated at first but she quickly changed her mind and shook his hand, her grip tightening a little and it brought a smile to Zack.

She said in a light, high but determined voice:" I know you, mister."

Zack blanched, huh? How did this little girl know him?

Zack was utterly confused, but the girl continued:" Tifa has a picture of you in her room. Wanna see?"

At that Tifa leaned down and said in embarrassment:" Marlene! Maybe later ok? For now go up in your room please, alright?", she smiled at the girl.

The girl, Marlene, smiled up at her and nodded. Before she ran upstairs however, she turned back towards Zack. She looked at him long and hard before she suddenly launched herself at him, wrapping her tiny arms around his neck.

He froze, not moving a muscle in fear of scaring the little girl. She whispered in his ear with a giggle:" I'm glad you're home Zack, Tifa said you had a long journey. I hope you rest up and make Tifa smile more often!".

With that, Marlene raced upstairs. Tifa was giving him a confused look, not having heard what Marlene told him.

Zack slowly straightened, wow…the girl, Marlene knew him, and picture? He looked at Tifa, who still looked slightly embarrassed. What picture did she mean?

Zack shook his head and smiled at her reassuringly, he scratched the back of his neck and asked:" So, uh, have anything to drink? My throat feels like I ate sand all day."

With a cheerful laugh and a nod, Tifa set to work on serving her unusual guests the desired drinks. They could talk about business as soon as the other members joined, for now though, Zack was happy to be what Marlene referred to as "home".

 **Heh…heh…heh…yeah. (smiles) Well, I didn't really feel like Tifa slapping him and throwing a fit so instead I added some drama to this. I hope that's ok, tell me what you think, greatly appreciated! Oh and should I continue to write the story, is it promising or not really? Thanks for reading and reviewing! (wave)**


	6. Shinra and Memories

**The dragon is back! Mwuahahaha…ha…(cough) Right. Ahem…well… Marlene mentioned a picture in the last chapter. I** ** _may_** **clarify just what picture she means in this chapter or in Chapter 7! We will see! Oh right and Cloud won't be coming up for a few chapters, you know deliveries and Geostigma and all.**

 ** _Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot. Square Enix owns Final Fantasy!_**

 **Chapter 6: Shinra and Memories**

* * *

Tifa and her guests sat talking at the bar, the first thing she asked was, of course, how they got here and how in the world Zack was alive.

Zack talked about his and Cloud's imprisonment in Hojo's lab, that crazy professor, and how he escaped with Cloud towards Midgar. He talked about how they had to run, hiding their tracks and constantly being on the move. With Cloud being in a comatose state because of the mako poisoning, Zack had to carry him and simultaneously fight off the pesky cadets and soldiers that were after them.

Tifa interrupted him and asked:" But…Cloud remembers next-to-nothing about what happened back then. He's getting bits and pieces, but they don't make any sense. Now that I'm listening to you, it makes sense. Cloud speaking of being in some sort of glass compartment with you next to him, you talking to him while in some truck and you leaving him to fight off SOLDIER…"

Zack joked trying to lift the heavy atmosphere:" Oh, he talked about me? I feel flattered!"

Tifa offered him a smile but went back to business. She asked quietly:" How…what happened before…?",

Zack understood. Before he was gunned down…

He cleared his throat to ease the uncomfortable tightness and continued:" I got us a ride to Midgar, a middle aged man with a truck was nice enough to drive us all the way there. I talked to Cloud, about what we would do after finally arriving at Midgar. I told him we would open up a business that does everything and anything. Of course, he couldn't answer but I was hoping that he heard me somewhere in his mako muddled mind.

I turned around just for a minute to watch the road, the road to freedom…but then I heard a gunshot from a sniper somewhere by the rocks and I quickly jumped on Cloud to shield him from stray bullets. I told the man to leave us by some boulders so he doesn't get killed. After he left, I hid Cloud behind the boulders so the soldiers didn't see him. I…I didn't want to leave him you know? We were best friends…buds from the military…but I had to. Or else we would both be dead. So, I ruffled his spiky-as-hell hair and left to deal with Shinra.

Let me tell you…there were _at least_ four thousand something soldiers out there and 4 helicopters or maybe even more. I was angry…angry as hell for what Shinra did, what they were doing. I was angry at myself for being a part of it, for always dreaming of coming to SOLDIER and meeting the 1st Classes when in reality it was all a lie…",

Zack shook his head and continued uneasily:" Well, anyway, I fought with the sword Angeal, my late mentor, gave me. He always talked about his dreams and honour, that without those things you couldn't become a hero. And I respected and followed his teachings, even if sometimes I annoyed the hell out of him. I was charging at the bastards, cutting them down one by one until I was fighting so hard and long that I lost track of time. It was dark by the time I stopped and took a moment to rest, rubbles from helicopters and dead bodies were all around me. I didn't look any better, really, and then I saw three cadets coming towards me, with one more helicopter. I was feeling dead tired and I knew I couldn't go on for very long. I was surrounded, losing blood fast and feeling my arms go numb.

So I did what had to be done – I fought till the end. After a bastard shot me in the head I blacked out… I woke up when Cloud was beside me, still puzzled from the poison but he slowly started to realize what happened and that I was about to die. I was trying to hold on for as long as I could but…it wasn't enough. With the last of my strength I gave him my honour and dreams and all my hopes, the Buster sword, and…closed my eyes with a smile. I wanted him to remember me with a smile on my face, no matter how beat up I looked."

Zack gave a small, bitter smile and noticed all the astounded looks he got from the Turks and Tifa. Tifa looked extremely troubled.

Tifa's hand reached across the table to grasp Zack's fist, he didn't even notice his hand had formed into a tight fist.

She said with a small smile:" Zack…there was a time where Cloud didn't know who you…or who he _himself_ was, because of the trauma and the mako and everything. His personality got completely different and after master Zangan and I found him heading towards Midgar, we fixed him back up as best as we could. After Zangan left, Cloud worked as a mercenary for hire. So I told him to join AVALANCHE to keep an eye on him, you know? He was my childhood friend after all…",

Her voice changed as she said:" Then…it happened…",

Zack frowned as he asked:" What happened?",

Cissnei added with a solemn tone:" Meteor…",

Tifa nodded and replied:" Yes…the Planet tried defending itself by destroying Meteor with the Lifestream and Holy, but it paid its price. What you see here is Edge – built from Midgar's remains. We managed somehow, I opened up my bar again here after Sector 7 was destroyed and took care of Marlene and Denzel.",

Zack hesitated, he knew it was a bad idea but he asked anyway:" Marlene and Denzel…are they…I mean…are they your and Cloud's kids?"

He expected for her to say yes and maybe say that daddy Cloud was upstairs with his kids and playing with them or going grocery shopping and being here any minute.

What he didn't expect was the small smile gracing her sad features and her forced cheerful tone:" Oh no. Both are orphans, Barret, the leader of AVALANCHE, adopted Marlene but after he had to fight he gave her in our care. We found Denzel not too long after in the Sector 7 slums alone and hungry.",

Tseng asked:" So, you aren't biologically related?",

The woman shook her head.

Rude asked with a raised eyebrow:" And you and Strife aren't…involved?",

Tifa cast her eyes down and answered:" No, at least not in that way."

Zack frowned, he asked while looking around:" Tifa…where _is_ Cloud?",

That same sense of dread was filling him when he had asked the same question months ago and the Turks told him they had no clue where Cloud was.

Tifa answered:" I don't know."

Zack's wide, blue mako eyes stared at her in surprise.

He asked:" W-what? But…but aren't you living together? I mean aren't you raising Denzel and Marlene together or something?",

She nodded and explained:" Well…we did…at the beginning. Marlene and Denzel were seeing a father figure in him since they lost their parents in the destruction before. But I haven't seen or heard from him in…a year…"

She felt ashamed, she couldn't even say where her best friend was at. Just how stupid could one be?

Zack was there before the first tear fell.

He pulled her into his arms, shielding her from the piercing eyes of the former Turks. He turned his head slightly and mouthed:" _Go away."_

The small group of 4 got the message and went outside, in front of the shop, getting lost into their own discussion while giving the pair some privacy.

He turned so he could hug her close to him properly, he stroked her back and softly whispered soothing words near her ear, rocking her back and forth lightly.

Then it hit him…was this even _alright_ with Tifa?! He was practically a stranger goddamn it!

He grinned sheepishly, breaking away from her slowly. He asked awkwardly:" Uhh…I know this is extremely awkward…and I really want to kick myself for this but…I…is this ok for you Tifa? I uhh…I know we weren't really close or anything and I'm just suddenly hugging you out of nowhere and-"

She shut him up when she lifted her tear stained face and said firmly:" Zack, it's ok trust me. It's not like you're a stranger or anything, I…thank you. I really needed that, I guess the stress from everything and after hearing your story it just broke me."

Zack scratched the back of his neck and replied:" Eheh…sorry about that. I'm not a too-good-story teller am I? Guess I should work on those fairy tales…"

That earned him a beautiful laugh from her. It was short but genuine and sweet. And that was enough for him.

He asked carefully after she calmed down:" I'm sorry for bringing this up again but…what do you mean you don't know where Cloud is? How comes you didn't see him for a year?"

Tifa sighed as she explained:" No, it's alright. Cloud has a delivery service, the " _Strife Delivery Service"_ , and his job required long travels from towns and villages to others and he often arrived late back home. I understood back then it was for the money. But after…after we took Denzel in, who had contracted the Geostigma, we learned that Cloud has Geostigma too. He never said anything because he didn't want us to worry, after he left for deliveries one morning he didn't come back.

I tried looking for him but I couldn't leave the kids home alone for long so I eventually gave up and just waited. I tried calling him on the phone countless of times but he never answered. I know he is searching for a cure for the Geostigma, but I have no idea where is right now Zack."

The former SOLDIER nodded, still shocked at hearing his friend practically vanishing from the face of the earth. He was worried. He knew they needed Cloud, but what was more, he finally wanted to see his best friend again after such a long time.

He smiled, his face serious and said while looking Tifa in the eyes:" Don't worry, we will find him.

I'm here."

And Tifa smiled for the first time since a year ago.

* * *

 **Wow…Zack finally learned the truth about Cloud's disappearance and all. What did you think about his reaction when he thought Cloud and Tifa had kids together? *smirks* Gihi, next chapter Zack is getting to know Marlene and Denzel. Oh and who is the crazy, loud mouthed muscle guy trying to attack Zack in the next chapter? Stay tuned! Review please! ^^**


	7. Getting to know the Family

**Heyo friends and readers and strangers that may like my story or not! :D How is everyone? I hope good because I feel refreshed and ready to start a new chapter! I'm in a really good mood so there may be more humour involved in this chapter because as** ** _everyone_** **knows my usual mood swings border on downright depressive ;) haha Anyway, on with the story!**

 ** _Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy, I just own the plot!_**

 **Chapter 7: Getting to know the Family**

Zack felt intimidated…he had no idea this was going to be so hard…this was worse and far scarier than the first time he applied for SOLDIER…

He stood as straight as a rod, feeling like a cadet trying to impress a 2nd Class SOLDIER.

He tried avoiding eye contact at all costs, if he looked them in the eyes he knew he was doomed. _Never_ look them in the eyes!

Tifa was standing right next to them, smiling brightly as if he didn't feel like he was going to get castrated every second now.

He took a deep breath and introduced himself properly like his mother taught him all those years ago:" Hi there! My name is Zack Fair, 1st Class SOLDIER at your service!".

He gave a friendly, warm grin, his famous smile that made him all the more attractive.

Two sets of sharp, focused eyes paused briefly. Marlene clasped her hands together, a look of wonderment and adoration in her eyes as she felt her little heart skip a beat at the tall, dark and handsome man before her.

Denzel's expression softened as he took the tall, strong and tough SOLDIER in front of him, wow! He looked strong! He had a look of adoration on his face as he looked at his new idol.

Tifa covered her mouth to hide her smile.

Denzel and Marlene crossed their small arms and both nodded at the same time while saying:" We approve."

Zack's stance slackened slightly in relief, finally daring to breathe.

Tifa giggled and joked with a hand on her hips:" I'm glad kids, do you like your new puppy?",

Zack's head shot up, wha-? Puppy? Why did the face of Angeal creep its way into his mind bearing a shit-eating grin on his face? He groaned.

The kids laughed and Marlene asked with stars in her eyes:" Tifa, can we keep him?",

The woman laughed before saying:" Marlene, since Zack isn't really a dog I think it's his choice if he wants to stay or not. We can't just "keep" him."

Denzel pouted and asked stubbornly:" But why not? He's funny and looks real strong!",

At Denzel's comment Zack discreetly flexed his muscles, Marlene blushed darkly while Denzel looked on in awe while whispering:" I want that too…"

Tifa shook her head and said:" Zack?",

The man smiled at her and said:" Well, if it's alright with you and the kids…I don't really have anywhere to stay…", he grinned sheepishly.

The children cheered and launched themselves at Zack, Marlene hugging his legs while Denzel jumped on his torso and wrapped arms and legs around him. Zack stumbled slightly, holding onto Denzel so the boy didn't fall off.

He grinned happily and laughed, he asked:" I guess that's a yes?", shooting a smile at Tifa.

She shook her head in amusement before ushering the overexcited children upstairs. She turned to Zack and rested her hands on her hips.

Zack sighed and said:" Marlene and Denzel – they are really something else aren't they? Didn't think they would accept me so easily, I thought I would have to jump through flaming rings and fight alligators to impress them!"

Tifa giggled and replied:" They're good kids and they experienced a lot for their young age. This is the first time I see them smile and look so happily ever since…", she trailed off.

It was a hunch, but somehow Zack knew it was about Cloud leaving.

He sat down on a stool and motioned Tifa to do the same, he asked:" Now I know I'm not here for long and that we aren't close buds or anything but…how are you coping with this?"

Tifa offered a small smile before replying:" You live don't you? It's not always easy but we manage. The kids miss Cloud but they learned to accept him the way he is, a lone wolf."

Zack eyed the ring on her finger and asked:" I'm guessing that's what's the ring for?",

Tifa glanced down at the wolf ring, Fenrir, on her finger. She said looking Zack in the eyes:" Oh, no, no. Every AVALANCHE member has something like this. It may not be a ring but earring or badge or something like that. It symbolises that we are all together in AVALANCHE and the guilt we carry in ourselves. The ring…actually the wolf, Fenrir, it symbolises Cloud's guilt and loneliness ever since losing you and…Aerith."

The mention of the name of his late love caused Zack to involuntarily cringe. Tifa, of course, noticed.

She quickly apologized:" Oh! Oh my goodness, I-I'm so sorry Zack! I…I didn't mean-",

He held up a hand and said:" No, please. Don't feel guilty Tifa. It's alright…"

He smiled bitterly and said:" When Tseng first told me the news…that Sephiroth killed Aerith…a former close friend of my mentor…an old friend of mine and a man I used to adore as a kid…I felt anger…anger at him for doing this, anger at myself for not being there to protect her, anger at Shinra for keeping those dirty secrets and misusing mako and people that way.

Then I felt guilt…a whole wave of it. Guilt for not being able to keep my promise to her to come back to her, guilt for not being able to save Angeal, my mentor, or properly saying goodbye to my parents in Gongaga… The first time I heard Aerith was dead I felt empty. But you know what?

Because of my time at SOLDIER, killing, almost being killed countless of times, seeing countless deaths and blood and gore…it numbed me somewhat. I felt unexplainable pain when I heard that…but I think it should have been far worse for a _normal_ man. Not for some mako infused, super SOLDIER….a monster…"

Tifa's warm hands, bare for once, encircled Zack's own larger, more calloused ones, also bare. She shook her head softly and said:" Zack, you're not a monster. If anything you're a hero. A true hero. You saved me, I know what I said back at Nibelheim…and I'm very sorry…I never meant those words…I…I was just hurt and angry. I never meant to hurt you in that way. I knew you were only trying to help."

She paused and continued:" Monsters don't save people and expect nothing in return. Monsters don't sacrifice themselves for their friends. Monsters don't shed tears over a loved one. Monster don't have dreams or honour Zack."

He looked at her. Surprised.

Tifa smiled and said:" Monsters only have one wish – to be human. To be able to feel like we can, to be able to experience and enjoy the things _we_ can Zack! So don't ever say again that you're a monster! Because you aren't."

He blinked in surprise. Before his blue eyes softened, making his appearance seem younger and softer. Tifa Lockhart…that woman was definitely something else.

He closed his eyes and said:" Thank you Tifa…"

He opened them again to look into her eyes directly and said:" Thank you, I guess I needed that."

She nodded and smiled happily, he grinned at her happily. She reminded him a bit of his mom, fierce and strict but soft and warm when the time calls for it.

He decided, with this woman fighting by his side, he would never lose focus of his honour and dreams ever again.

 **Yes, yes…I switched back to serious because…ugh after seeing** ** _Advent Children_** **again I couldn't help but feel more serious and finish the story like that. But don't worry! That's not the last of me – or err.. Zack – you will hear! The happy-go-lucky puppy will keep everyone's spirits up! Ahem…well, NEXT chapter Zack gets attacked by the big, mysterious loud mouthed guy! This chapter would have been too long if I added it here! Hehe Review please! Arigatou! ^.^**


	8. The Man in the Picture

***yawns* Hi there! Ok, THIS is the chapter where Zack FINALLY gets attacked by some muscle, loud mouthed psycho! (hint, hint) Eheh…yeah… poor puppy… Ahem..anyway, should I make some chapters with Zack's/Tifa's POV (Point of View) to see their thoughts and opinions? Would be interesting if you ask me, please tell me in the reviews or PM me! (thumbs up) Well, let's continue with the story ne?**

 ** _Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy, all I own is the badass plot! :P_**

 **Chapter 8: The Man in the Picture**

* * *

AVALANCHE was finally coming together. The first member to enter 7th Heaven was the Wutai ninja/thief Yuffie Kisaragi.

Zack was expecting for the crazy woman to attack him, start bragging about her battle prowess, attack Cissnei, Tseng, Rude, or Reno, try to bite his head off or anything along those lines.

But she just… _stared._

Tifa had explained to her what the hell was going on, just in case the ninja had any funny ideas and thought they were holding Tifa and the kids hostage or anything.

Zack shifted uncomfortably from all the staring…why was she _staring_ like that?!

The next thing she said made Zack's eyes almost bulge out of his head:" Wow, you're as hot as hell."

Zack was dumbfounded.

Reno almost choked on the scotch he was nursing when he heard Yuffie's comment that he immediately sprung up and protested:" Hey! Yo! Ninja girl! What about me?! If you think he's hot take a lot at this!"

He started stretching and flexing his arms.

Yuffie stuck her tongue out at him and opted to stare at the former First Class SOLDIER again.

Tifa shot an apologetic look at Zack and grabbed her friend's shoulders, she said:" Yuffie, for god's sake stop staring so obviously! At least go into a corner and stare there! He's not a piece of meat!"

The small, perverted ninja retorted with a dangerous glint in her eye:" Ohh, really Teef? Did you _look_ at him? Hell, he's rivalling Vincent in looks! And don't let me get _started_ on those big _guns_ he's packing and that big ass sword!".

She leaned in close to Tifa's ear and whispered with a smirk:" Wonder what else he's packing well I bet it's sort of a gunblade ya know? A big ass sword and a loaded gun-"

Tifa shook her head frantically, willing the impure thoughts out of her mind and shoving her close friend playfully out of the way.

She smiled awkwardly at Zack, who scratched the back of his head and grinned awkwardly.

Well…that was interesting.

The next one to come through the door was Cid Highwind and boy was that a meeting.

The first thing the pilot did was stare everyone, especially Zack, down before his foul language started coming into play.

Thankfully Tifa had scolded him sharply for swearing in her bar when the kids were just upstairs. Cid had apologized and listened surprisingly calmly as Tifa explained how and why they were there.

Cid chanced a look at Zack and asked:" So, a former SOLDIER huh?",

Zack nodded seriously and said:" Zack Fair, former First Class SOLDIER."

Cid said bitterly:" Heh, that never really gets outta your system does it?"

Zack cocked his head in confusion, the older man indicated Zack's tense stance and clarified:" The stance, the eyes, the experiences…the pain. The memories of battle, the scent of blood, the scars littering your body like rocks on the roads, the sins you've committed, the people you killed…you may try to shove it in a box and never open it up…but let me tell you boy, those images can never be erased."

Zack's eyes widened a fraction, he asked carefully:" Cid, was it? Were you part of the military?",

There was no way the man wasn't part of some sort of military establishment, judging from how his words were nothing but the _truth._

The man sighed and said:" I used to be a pilot operating one of Shinra's finest babies in the air and I was the best in my field. I've had my fair share of wars and images."

Zack's gaze was on the floor but his eyes moved back to Cid's when he asked:" Did you ever lose hope? Lose sight of your dreams and honour?"

Cid laughed dryly and asked:" Dreams? Honour? Hope? Huh…you used to be a First Class…but you're talkin' like you just got promoted to cadet."

Zack glared lightly and said:" It doesn't matter what rank you're, if you lose sight of your focus, of your goal, you may as well die for nothing. If you can't find a reason to live for each day then it's like you're a walking zombie without any feelings. I was First Class…but I never lost sight of my dreams or honour."

That impressed the seasoned veteran greatly, the lad was young…about 25 if his eyes weren't playing tricks on him and yet…he was talking as if he had at least 30 years of experience on the front lines.

Thankfully, their conversation wasn't overheard by the others. Cid nodded to Zack, acknowledging the young man, not only as a experienced and strong soldier but also as a respectable man.

Zack nodded back, abandoning his serious persona in ex-change for a friendly smile towards the elder man.

And Cid found himself grinning full force back.

Slowly, member by member joined the growing group. Zack had attempted to pet Nanaki, which snapped at his fingers for being treated as some house dog. With Zack apologizing profusely.

With Cait Sith it was no better, though at least the talking cat didn't attempt to chew his head off.

And then Zack found himself slammed on the floor by an incredibly heavy weight. He heard the door open and was about to turn around to greet the final member of AVALANCHE when it happened.

Tifa shouted in alarm:" What the-?! Get of off him!",

Zack growled and planted his hands firmly on the floor boards, he head butted the man from behind, hearing a curse of pain and then he threw the man over his body onto the floor.

Zack immediately stood up, going in front of Tifa instinctively.

The man was huge, Zack wondered how he managed to even lift him for the throw.

The man had dark skin, a large, muscular build, dressed in a light jacket with a fishnet shirt over his bare chest, simple pants, boots and a prosthetic, right gun arm. The mechanical arm itself looked like it weighed a ton, not to mention his body mass alone.

Cid laughed, Zack looked at the veteran confused. What the hell? Why was he laughing?! The guy just tried to attack him!

Tifa placed her hands on her hips while stepping forward, she said sharply:" Barret! How about _asking_ who our guests are _before_ attacking them?!"

The man slowly stood up from the floor and glared at Zack heatedly, who glared right back and stood tall. Tifa knew him. Wait…did that mean _this_ was _the_ Barret? The leader of AVALANCHE.

Zack scoffed in displeasure. There was something off about that guy and he didn't like it.

At all.

Barret said:" Tifa, get the hell away from 'em! I know 'em! He's that dangerous, First Class or whatever SOLDIER fellow who burnt Nibelheim to a freakin' crisp with that silver haired man!"

Zack growled, his fists clenched, his guilt and anger growing.

Tifa stepped in front of Zack and said:" Barret, stop. Zack wasn't involved in the fire and I told you as much, remember? Zack tried to _help._ He never knew what Shinra was planning or rather what Sephiroth was planning so could you _please_ not attack him and attempt to kill him?"

At Barret's glare, Tifa said softly:" Please. He's the good guy. The hero that saved Cloud from Shinra."

Realization dawned on Barret's face.

He asked:" Saved Cloud? From Shinra? Wait, a damn minute… _that's_ Zack Fair?!",

Zack tensed his muscles when the large man approached him and Tifa, he suddenly grinned widely and said cheerfully:" _Man!_ I'm so sorry pal! I had no idea! Why the hell didn't ya say somethin'?!"

Zack muttered:" I got ran over by a truck before I could…",

Barret either didn't hear it or chose to ignore it. Either way he said with a friendly smile:" Well, I'm sorry for the harsh welcome. How are you alive?"

Zack shrugged and said:" A couple of friends helped me. And I guess the angels didn't want me up there with them yet.", he attempted to joke to lighten the mood.

It worked.

Barret chuckled and the friendly atmosphere returned.

Denzel and Marlene were running down the stairs when they heard the commotion, a picture frame in her hand.

She hugged Barret quickly before rushing directly towards Zack, who was talking to Tifa by the bar counter.

Zack smiled at the small girl and took the picture frame she held out to him with a confused expression on his face.

As he looked at the picture, he realized what Marlene had meant earlier.

He was in the picture with Tifa…and _Sephiroth…_

 _Nibelheim…_

 _The fire…_

 _Sephiroth…_

 _Tifa…_

Tifa asked worriedly:" Zack?"

He snapped back to the present and smiled at her before glancing down at the picture, heh… a lot has changed. He noticed where his gaze on the picture went, to Tifa.

He couldn't remember why he was so fascinated with the girl, which was 15 at the time and he 18, but he remembered he thought her to be interesting and a friendly and fierce country girl.

He caught himself smiling.

He didn't know what happened to cause her to become the hardened warrior and caring mother figure to two orphans and pining after Cloud, but he knew one thing.

She was strong. Stronger than he will ever hope to be.

Strength didn't only lie in physical aspects…

Angeal had taught him that lesson when he was desperate to become 1st Class.

Angeal…his mentor…best friend…and…the only man he would ever call father.

He refocused his attention on the smiling barmaid behind the counter, fixing drinks for her friends.

He brought her so much pain, because of him her village and Cloud's got burnt down…

Because of him she had lost her family…

Because of him…

He looked back at the picture and realized…

His gaze was still on Tifa, but this time not in the picture…

* * *

 **Phew…I think the longest chapter so far! I would really appreciate it if you guys tell me what you think! I'm not sure if it's really good or not ^^. What do you think of Zack in this chapter and his fight with his inner demons? Oh and what about Barret's smooth entrance? :3 BTW: In this story, Zack's father left him when he was 8 years old, presumably to join SOLDIER and become a hero. But I think I mentioned somewhere Zack had learned the truth and he never found his father's records in any of the database of SOLDIER. Review please! Thank you!**


	9. Alliance

***sighs* Back again…yay… *sweat drops* I really hope I didn't mess up the chapter, feeling dead tired. Well, either way… I hope you enjoy it! :)**

 ** _Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy, I just own the plot!_**

 **Chapter 9: Alliance**

Barret asked gruffly while looking at the former SOLDIER:" So, yer sayin' you wanna help us fight that Sephiroth or whatever guy? Why?",

It seemed the former group f Turks unconsciously elected Zack to be their main speaker.

Zack squared his shoulders and said:" I have a history with him and a lot of people who are and were close to me suffered by his hand. I heard of Jenova and the Geostigma, I want to put an end to all this and try to stop any more unnecessary casualties."

Zack told the truth, Tseng nor Cissnei didn't tell him of their reasons, but he suspected it was something very similar to his own ones.

Barret crossed his large arms and looked at Zack up and down, he asked:" Let's say, I believe ya… what do ya want in return?"

Zack shot him a confused look, he asked while narrowing his eyes:" What?",

Barret clarified gruffly:" Are ya expectin' somethin' in return for yer services or are you doin' this because you really wanna help?"

Zack held his head high as he answered:" I – _we –_ want to help because we care. We care what happens to these people, if Sephiroth gets his chance to harm the planet, he won't hesitate. He was implanted Jenova cells in his body when he was just an infant, when he learned the truth he went on a rampage and burned down Nibelheim. I don't want something like that happening again."

He looked at Tifa briefly to gauge her reaction, she didn't seem to mind him mentioning her and Cloud's hometown. But she looked troubled.

Zack leaned forward and asked:" Barret…where is Cloud? It's evening already, shouldn't he be back?"

He had heard Cloud had his own delivery service, surely it couldn't last this long?

The man remained silent at first, contemplating on how to explain this whole mess to Zack.

Cid said with a displeased expression:" The brat left, nobody knows where the hell he went! He just left to deliver somethin' to someone and didn't come back, has been gone for months now."

Zack's eyes narrowed. He grit his teeth and said:" I don't believe that! Cloud isn't a guy like that that's just abandoning his comrades and family without a care. I taught him better than that."

Tifa, who was leaning against the counter with her arms crossed, said:" He doesn't see us as family."

All eyes were on her. Zack fell silent.

Tifa looked directly at him and said with a bitter smile:" Me and the kids…we are just a chore. He doesn't think of us as a family. I know we aren't blood related but without them I don't think I would have survived alone."

Zack understood, he felt the same before his whole world broke apart when his father left him and his mother when he was just 8 years old and later when Angeal died.

Tifa said with a fire in her eyes:" But we don't need him. If he wants to be alone then so be it. He's had his fair chances until now and I won't allow him to hurt _my_ family again. Marlene and Denzel deserve better. They need _both_ parental figures to grow and evolve, I'll do what I can. But I won't allow Cloud to partake in it, he said he couldn't let go of his past and left us alone. Just what sort of friend is that?"

Zack's head lowered. No… this couldn't be.

Had Cloud really become so…cold?

Zack remembered a time where Cloud had talked so fondly of having a family of his own after SOLDIER…

 _"_ _Oi! Zack!", a younger Cloud Strife jogged up to his best friend, 1_ _st_ _Class SOLDIER Zack Fair._

 _"_ _Cloud! Where have you been?", he did their secret handshake and laughed with the younger man._

 _The blonde blushed lightly and said while scratching the back of his neck:" Sorry, I received a letter from Tifa and I promised to her I would write her every day so she doesn't worry."_

 _"_ _Tifa? Who's that?", Zack asked confused but with a sly smile._

 _Cloud turned shy and averted his gaze from his friend. He said:" S-she's my childhood friend from Nibelheim. She's really nice a-and pretty…"_

 _Zack grinned widely and slapped his back saying:" Oi, oi. Who's blushing like a cherry now, huh? Being sweet on a girl from your village, it's a wonderful feeling!"_

 _Cloud looked at his friend and asked:" You like someone too?",_

 _Zack placed his hands behind his head and said with a light blush:" Well…y-yeah. She's a girl I met when I fell down the roof to the slums. She's always in a church, tending to a flowerbed. She's the most beautiful and caring girl I've ever met…"_

 _Cloud snickered and teased:" Oi, oi. Who's blushing like a cherry now?",_

 _Zack chuckled and punched his shoulder playfully and said:" Heh, alright. I give, I really like her. A lot. I think she likes me too. Though she says I'm bad at flirting."_

 _Both boys laughed, Cloud asked suddenly seriously:" Hey Zack…did you ever think of having a family? In the future? You know, after SOLDIER?",_

 _The dark haired man turned mako blue eyes to his blonde friend, his demeanour turned serious as he answered:" I'm still young but yeah, I did. After becoming the greatest and most well known hero in the world and helping anyone I can I would really like a family of my own. My pa left me and ma when I was 8 so I didn't really know him much. But there is one thing I plan to do when I will be a father._

 _I will never leave my family. I'll make sure to be by their side and watch them grow up even if it kills me. I'll teach them how to write and read, I guess how to fight too if I have a son and if it's a girl I'll teach her how to defend herself when I'm not around. I'll be the scariest dad ever! I'll scare off all the love sick boys with my sword and awesome wife!"_

 _Cloud raised a fair brow and asked confused:" 'Awesome wife' ?",_

 _Zack grinned and said:" Yeah! I want to marry a woman who knows how to hold her own and who can defend herself if I'm not around. I don't like women who are typical "damsels in distress". I mean, it's alright if they need help from time to time, really. Nobody is perfect or invincible, no man or woman. But I just don't want her to scream for help whenever something happens and hide. What if something happened to the children and she waits for me and can't protect them on her own? I need to depend on her too."_

 _Cloud nodded, suddenly understanding Zack's view of women. He had dated "damsels in distress" a few times, but he left it with one date. He never went for the second or searched anything deeper and Cloud now understood why. Zack wasn't the flirt that some SOLDIERs had mentioned. Not at all in fact. He seemed like the typical family guy, even if it was a bit too early to be speaking about it yet._

 _He knew he was too young to truly understand the concept of "love" and wanted to be mature enough to understand it before he found "the woman"._

 _Cloud offered his own view:" Well, I would like to have a family too. I'm thinking of two or three kids. I want to raise them in Nibelheim, teach them that they shouldn't take anything for granted and work hard for their achievement. I want them to grow up respecting their parents and everyone around them. Yeah, that's what I want in the future."_

 _Zack smiled, it was a wonderful thought indeed. He ruffled his spiky blonde hair and grinned._

 _Zack said with a wink:" Come on, who's lagging behind will have to steal LOVELESS from Genesis! And you know he gets about his precious book."_

 _The boys laughed as they raced each-other to the training grounds._

 _A family huh…_

 _The thought brought a smile to Zack's face._

Zack couldn't believe it…didn't _want_ to believe his best friend could become such a man…

Did he really let everyone down? Was he really unable to save _anyone_?

 _Hey…would you say, I became a hero?_

He didn't know why he had thought of this now, but Zack knew he had uttered that question. When and where he didn't remember.

Who did he ask that? Cloud? Aerith? Himself?

The tall SOLDIER shook his head and smiled at Tifa, he said:" Don't worry, Tifa. I'll knock some sense into him once I find him, he's my best friend. However, if he still doesn't change his mind…me and the others will do our best to support you."

Tifa looked at Zack, a mix of surprise and slight disbelief in her eyes.

Until Zack said with a warm smile:" I promise."

She didn't know why.

She didn't know why she felt like she could trust him.

Sure, he was Cloud's best friend in their younger days and Zack had sacrificed himself just so Cloud could live.

But he was practically a stranger.

She felt a pang in her heart when she used the word _stranger_ to describe him.

Zack Fair.

Former 1st Class SOLDIER.

Best friend of Cloud Strife.

Zack Fair.

The hero.

She watched as Zack planned with Barret and the rest on how to find out more about Sephiroth and on how to destroy him for good.

She didn't know why she was so intrigued by him.

Maybe it was the fact that she, along with Cloud, thought that he had died when he was fighting against that army.

Maybe it was the fact that her last words to him were "I hate you" and now he was smiling at her like they were good, old friends.

Or maybe it was the fact that she believed he could really change something in this dark, messed up world…

 **Chapter 9 finished. *sighs* Sooo…how was it? Good, bad, a case for the nut house? I hope Zack and the rest aren't too OOC here, I mean I imagine what Zack, the more mature, older Zack, would react like when he suddenly found out he was alive and wake up in a world that was falling apart and seeing Tifa and the others. Please review! Thanks! (thumbs up) :D**


	10. What I Missed

**In this chapter I'll focus on Zack and Tifa getting to know each-other, Zack gets a small bro moment with little Denzel and a small fight scene! Cloud will be mentioned multiple times too, slight Cloti as well! And thank you all for the reviews so far!**

 **BTW: Thanks for the review AkaiArashi1, I'll try to write longer chapters. The reason for them being/looking rather short is on Word it looks long so I'm afraid it'll be too long of a chapter to post and write a bit less. I'll heed the advice though, thanks!**

 **Chapter 10: What I Missed**

By the time AVALANCHE and Zack and the rest of his group had left 7th Heaven, with the former Turks assuring Tifa they had organized a place to stay, the two adults were left standing alone in the bar.

Silence.

Zack scratched the back of his neck, an action familiar to Tifa.

She shifted somewhat uncomfortably and asked:" Do you want a drink? It's on the house."

Zack looked at her, seemingly ripped from his thoughts, and replied:" Oh, uh, water will be fine. Thank you."

Tifa moved behind the bar and took a clean glass from the glass cabinet, filling it with the clear liquid.

She asked while filling a glass for herself:" You're not really a drinker are you?",

Zack nursed his drink and said:" Never was. Alcohol never attracted me really, I only drank at special occasions, a glass or two."

He glanced at her own water and remarked with a small smile:" You don't seem to be either."

She smiled and responded:" Nope, never was either. I know, it's unusual for a barmaid not to be a drinker, right? Well, I taste the drinks I mix but never more than sip or a gulp. I drink occasionally when the mood gets to me."

Zack leaned forward slightly and asked:" What kind?",

She shrugged, leaning back against the counter as she looked into those intense, blue mako eyes:" What everyone goes through in times of crisis, I guess. It's been getting harder to pay for food and other necessities, since Cloud's been gone for almost a year now. He's not answering his phone and I can't track him down any other way. Barret and the other's tried too but no luck. It's like he disappeared from the face of the earth. With our primary source of income gone, it has been a tight fit for me and the kids. And you've seen the condition Edge is in so customers aren't as frequent as they once been. So, I drink every now and then, usually when the kid's are asleep to temporarily forget my worries. But not so much to completely make them go away, I still have a family to take care of."

The 28-year-old nodded solemnly and asked:" What of the customers?",

Tifa frowned and answered:" Gone or angry about not being serviced. I can't deliver any parcels since I can't leave the kids and the bar alone and I don't have any vehicle to even transport it."

Zack suddenly grinned. Tifa didn't know him well enough to know what exactly it meant, but she assumed that he was up to no good.

He suggested while pointing at himself:" Oi, oi. What about me? I have to get a job somewhere anyway and since I'm temporarily going to live here I can make myself useful and help you out. I can drive anything you give me."

Tifa thought long and hard, his offer wasn't unreasonable but…

She said:" Zack, you just arrived in a city you don't even know. How can you deliver parcels if you don't even know where you're going?"

He said as if it was the easiest and most obvious thing in the world:" I'm gonna study the map. I know my way all around Gongaga, Modeoheim, Nibelheim and Midgar. This _is_ south of where Midgar used to be if I'm not mistaken so it shouldn't really be difficult to remember all the routes."

Zack studied her for a moment before asking:" You're searching for reasons to get rid of me aren't you?"

The woman glanced at him surprised and immediately said:" What? No! Wha-? No! Zack, how can you think that! You're a friend, why would I want to get rid of you?",

He stared at the bottom of his glass and said with a haunted look:" Because I killed your family."

The next thing made him look up at her in surprise.

Tifa slammed her hands down on the counter and said angrily:" _You_ didn't kill my family Zack! It was Sephiroth! It was _Sephiroth_ who went on a rampage and burned down Nibelheim and killed papa, it was _Sephiroth_ that sent Meteor at the earth, it was _Sephiroth_ that brought so much bloodshed. _You_ tried to stop him, _you_ escaped Hojo's lab and saved Cloud's life and it was _you_ that _died_ protecting Cloud from Shinra!"

Zack remained perfectly still during Tifa's outburst, not believing his ears.

 _Hey, would you say I became a hero?_

He was asking himself that question right now.

He shook his head and focused back on Tifa, who was looking at him fiercely.

She said:" Zack, there are people who remember you and your heroic deeds. Cloud has held on for so long because of your words, they kept him going."

Zack protested." It wasn't me that kept him going Tifa. At least not all of it, after all there's only so much the dead can do."

He said while looking at her:" You kept him going, you fixed him up, encouraged him to live… I'm sorry he's repaying you in this way… I thought I taught him better than that…"

Tifa smiled and said:" It's alright Zack. He will come around. Let me show you to your room alright?",

Zack's head shot up and he asked with a surprised:" Wait, _what?",_

Tifa blinked and said:" Your room upstairs…"

Zack said:" _Room_? I thought I was going to sleep on the couch or somewhere outside in a tent."

Tifa giggled and shook her head, she warned:" Um, but I'll first have to move Cloud's things so you can sleep there."

Zack stopped.

He asked:" Cloud's things? Don't you have a spare bedroom or something? I wouldn't want to take his room when he will come-"

Tifa cut him off:" He won't."

Zack stopped, he said quietly:" What's left if not hope?",

Tifa answered after a minute:" My family to take care of.",

Zack understood, he really did. But he found it difficult just giving up on his best friend, no matter how many years have passed.

Zack said with a hand on Tifa's shoulder:" How about this, I sleep on the couch for the upcoming three weeks. I'll construct a room for myself upstairs.",

She looked at him and asked surprised:" You can do construction work?",

Just what did they do in SOLDIER?

Zack grinned and said:" Well, yeah. I built my own little cottage with Angeal and my own tree house when I was 7. And I did the random job or two with constructing and building."

Tifa nodded and placed her hands on her hips, she smiled and said:" Well, alright. Do you want a tour? You will live here for a while after all.",

Zack smiled and nodded.

He followed Tifa upstairs, she showed him Denzel and Marlene's room. They were playing together on the floor, when the door opened they looked up.

Zack greeted cheerfully:" Hi there!",

Marlene smiled, Denzel though was suspicious. He just nodded.

Marlene asked with questioning brown eyes:" Zack, are you a part of AVALANCHE now?",

Zack looked at Tifa and said:" Yeah, guess I am.",

Marlene nodded and replied:" I'm glad. After Cloud left Tifa will smile more.",

She said the same thing she whispered in his ear when he first laid eyes on her.

Denzel turned his head to the side, ignoring Marlene's comment.

Tifa blushed and sent Marlene a warning look, which made the girl giggle.

Zack frowned when he noticed Denzel's cold behavior, he kneeled down and asked:" Hey little man, is there something wrong?",

Denzel didn't answer at first, when he lifted his head he practically snarled at Zack:" Do you plan to live here? Where will you even sleep?",

Zack was slightly taken aback by his hostility before replying:" Uh, well for a time anyway. I'll sleep on the couch downstairs and we'll see from there.",

Denzel grit his teeth, Zack asked worriedly:" Hey, Denzel, what's wrong?",

Denzel harshly brushed Zack's hand away, Tifa said:" Denzel!",

The little boy glared at Zack and Tifa and shouted:" Why is he here?! I don't want him here! He's supposed to be dead! I want Cloud to come back! Cloud should be here not him!"

Denzel ran out of the room and downstairs, rushing outside where the rest of the kids were walking aimlessly through the streets.

Tifa knew it was no use running after him, he would only hide and be too stubborn to answer her calls.

Zack was stunned.

Marlene looked sad as she said:" Please don't take it personally Zack. Denzel just misses Cloud a lot. Ever since Cloud left us he's been grumpy and cold.",

Zack nodded and patted Marlene's head gently, he asked:" Cloud is like a father to him isn't he?",

Marlene bit her lip and nodded.

Zack slowly stood up, he said:" I'll go look for him. I'll be right back.",

Tifa wanted to protest, to say Denzel will come back like he always did, but Zack was already out the door before she could utter a single word.

The former 1st Class SOLDIER searched and searched until he found the boy huddled behind a large trash container.

Zack slowly approached him and sat on the ground next to him.

Denzel moved farther away in response.

Zack didn't say anything for a while. He waited.

Denzel spoke up after the silence became too much for him to bear:" Why did you follow me?"

Zack answered:" Because, I can't let a kid walk around such a big city alone. Who knows what kinds of people roam the streets.",

Denzel said:" I know this city better than you. I can defend myself just fine.",

Zack sighed and said:" You miss him huh?",

Denzel didn't respond.

Zack said softly:" I don't know why you hate me so much Denzel, especially since we don't even know each-other, but Cloud will come back. Of course he will, he just needs some time to gather his thoughts.",

Denzel said:" Cloud found me in Sector 5….in the slums. I was really hungry, had been for days, I found his bike and his phone. I called Tifa because that was on his recent call list, I was confused and didn't know what to say when Tifa picked up and asked me who I was. I didn't even know then anymore who I really was. When I collapsed because of my Geostigma, Cloud found me lying on the ground. He brought me to 7th Heaven and he and Tifa took care of me and Marlene together. We were like a real family…",

"Until he left…", Denzel small fists clenched.

Zack remained silent, letting the boy speak his mind.

Denzel looked at him briefly before saying:" One day Tifa and Barret had to go to some village to pick up a few supplies. They visited your…grave. Well, I was never there but Tifa said Cloud stuck your sword in the ground on the spot where you died, overlooking Midgar.

She said it was the spot where Cloud made a important promise. She started talking about you and I got angry. I thought she liked Cloud not you!",

Zack shook his head and explained calmly:" I think you misunderstood Denzel. Tifa was just talking about the old times. I'm guessing Cloud told her a few things about me and she just retold them. She still likes Cloud, don't worry.", he chuckled.

Denzel smiled briefly.

Zack said:" So…friends?",

The little boy looked fully up at Zack, he thought for a moment before smiling brightly and hugging him.

Zack was surprised. He hadn't expected for Denzel to hug him.

Denzel said sadly:" I-I'm sorry Zack…I…I guess I was scared that our family would be torn apart…like my own was…",

Zack frowned, he wrapped his strong arms around the small boy and hugged him tightly.

He whispered:" Don't worry. Cloud will come back but in the meantime I will make sure nothing bad happens to Tifa, Marlene or you got it?",

Denzel nodded, gripping Zack tighter.

In a way, Denzel reminded Zack of himself.

His parents were happily married and his mother was a beauty, whenever some men tried to unsuccessfully flirt with her and she would flatly reject them, Zack always got angry and barked at them for flirting with married women.

But his dad always took care of that afterwards.

Zack chuckled softly and patted the boy's head. He asked softly:" Was that why you didn't like me? Because you thought I would steal Tifa away from Cloud?",

Denzel, suddenly extremely embarrassed, buried his face in the former SOLDIER's strong chest, mumbling in agreement.

Zack chuckled again and said:" Don't worry little man. I'm not the type to steal someone else's girl. Especially not my best friend's. Besides, Tifa and I are just friends."

The boy nodded, not really understanding the mechanics of such relationships yet but understanding that Zack wasn't a replacement for Cloud.

As the two walked back towards 7th Heaven, five men approached them. They looked drunk, two were holding broken beer bottles in their hands, one was holding what looked like a shard of glass and the other two were holding steel pipes. Zack moved in front of Denzel protectively.

He didn't draw his sword, he didn't need it to finish them off should it come to a confrontation.

One of them said:" Oi…..g-give us some money, punk.",

The one with the glass shard laughed drunkenly and shouted:" Yeah! Give us so money! Ehh?",

He looked at the little boy behind Zack's legs, he grinned and said:" O-or give us tis boy there.",

Zack's muscles tensed, he said lowly:" Sorry, I don't have money and the boy isn't an option.",

One of the men holding the steel pipe, the leader it seemed, stepped up and said with a crooked grin:" Really now? Guess we will have to make this one suffer boys.",

The group laughed, advancing on them. Zack's eyes narrowed angrily when he felt the grip on his pants leg tighten.

When all of them were about to jump on Zack at once, Denzel shouted in panic:" Cloud!",

A shadowy figure moved at top speed, kicking away the two with the pipes while Zack slammed his fist against the other ones and punched the one with the shard away.

He looked at the figure who kicked the other assailants.

It was Tifa.

She tightened her black gloves and moved next to Zack, in front of Denzel.

She said while keeping her eyes on the drunks:" I heard you had some trouble.",

Zack smirked and said:" I don't need help but feel free to knock yourself out, ladies first."

Tifa smiled and started delivering a flurry of kicks and punches to the two with the broken bottles.

The leader moved behind her to hit her with the pipe, Zack's fist came flying into his face, most definitely dislocating his jaw.

Zack and Tifa expertly moved around and with each-other, easily falling into sync.

The drunks scattered before anymore bones in their bodies broke.

Zack dusted his hands off and Tifa placed her hands on her hips. They looked at each-other and high fived playfully.

Tifa leaned down and asked softly:" Are you alright, Denzel?",

Denzel smiled and nodded, hugging her around her neck.

Tifa smiled and hugged the boy back briefly. She straightened against and looked up at Zack.

She offered him a warm smile and said:" Thank you a lot Zack.",

He shook his head and replied:" It was nothing."

He remembered something and said smugly:" Well, I didn't know you knew how to kick ass so well. Better than 2nd Class SOLDIERs that's for sure.",

Tifa smirked and said:" Well, Zangan taught me martial arts for years. He would be disappointed if I couldn't dispatch a few 2nd Class SOLDIERs.",

Zack crossed his arms and joked:" Oh? Could you dispatch a former 1st Class?",

Tifa's answer was a well-placed kick to the side of Zack's head, his arm coming up to guard his face a second before the it made contact.

With her foot still in the air, Tifa smiled and said:" We could spar if you want to find out."

A growl.

Zack, still blocking Tifa's foot, said embarrassed:" How about tomorrow? Guess my stomach has other ideas.",

Tifa laughed and lowered her foot back to the ground, ushering the awe struck Denzel inside to call Marlene for supper.

She said:" I hope you like pancakes and waffles.",

Zack said excitedly:" Oh! I didn't have that in years!",

Tifa laughed because it was true. Zack started jogging like an excited child.

She mused:" You're like a restless puppy.",

Zack grinned widely and said:" Heh, yeah I guess. The nickname stuck for all these years.",

The woman smiled and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly before starting to prepare everything for supper.

Zack smiled at her back, feeling lighter.

Maybe he hadn't eaten well in quite some time.

From all that dilly dally.

 **You probably noticed, I used the phrase Tifa used for Cloud ("dilly dally shilly shally") when he was focusing on unimportant things and dragging his past behind. She wanted him to move on and focus on what was important. Well, Zack knows it too. :P Here Zack was reffering to his long comatose state and from how long he needed to recover whereas he could have done something else (like finding Cloud and going back to Aerith ;) ). Hope the chapter was good! (waves)**


	11. First Mission for Fair

**Chapter 11 coming up ladies and gentleman! (curtain opens dramatically) hehe Ok, sooo… yeah, some of you** ** _may_** **be** ** _a bit_** **disappointed that, so far, there haven't been any romantic Zifa moments, don't fret! They will come, but since Zack was believed dead, Tifa still believing Cloud would come back and them not** ** _really_** **having any friendship kind of history together, it will take time. Like relationships in general need time to develop and grow, this one needs too. I can't guarantee it will be a short story, as it already has 10 chapters, but I'll try to make it worth your while if you follow it closely!**

 ** _Disclaimer: I just own the plot, Square Enix owns everything else (characters…etc.)_**

 **Chapter 11: First Mission for Fair**

 **Zack yawned loudly, stretching on the far too small couch in the living room next to the bar.**

 **His back was killing him.**

 **There go the years of his energetic youth…old age was getting to him…**

 **He mumbled:" Man, I'm old…",**

 **An amused, feminine voice said:" I don't think 26 is that old if you ask me…",**

 **Zack cracked one eye open, it was Tifa.**

 **Already fully dressed and looking like she had been up for hours.**

 **Zack slowly sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes before he stood up and stretched.**

 **He asked while looking down at the woman:" Since when have you been up?",**

 **She answered:" About an hour or two. Cleaned up the bar, did the laundry, washed your uniform too, though we need to go shopping for new clothes."**

 **He nodded and said:" So, shopping day today is it?",**

 **Tifa offered him a smile and said:" Well, you could say that. Though not for too long, I still need to run the bar and take care of the kids. I was thinking of buying you a vehicle today so you can start your delivery service as soon as possible.",**

 **Zack grinned and said:" Sounds fine to me. Oh, really? Are you sure you can afford that? I mean, you know, with the kids and everything?",**

 **Tifa chuckled and nodded saying:" Don't worry, I always have money in case of emergencies."**

 **Zack nodded and offered her a warm, serious smile. He said while scratching the back of his neck:" Hey…Tifa. I…thank you. Thank you a lot for taking me in. I'm practically a stranger to you since we didn't really have any time to be friends and yet you took me under your wing. Once I make enough money from my deliveries I'll pay you back tenfold."**

 **Tifa stopped wiping the counter, she looked at Zack and suddenly realized what he was wearing.**

 **Or rather what he** ** _wasn't_** **wearing.**

 **She had seen Cloud shirtless a couple of times, in battle or when he was working on his bike on hot days, but Cloud was more lean while Zack was…**

 **Well…** ** _defined. Really_** **defined. Broad even.**

 **His shoulders were broad, which she thought only looked like that because of his shoulder guards, but she was severely mistaken.**

 **His chest was firm, his arms thick and muscled, not overly so but definitely a lot thicker than Cloud's. He sported a noticeable six pack and had trims hips…**

 **She quickly averted her gaze, wiping the counter furiously.**

 **Not like she never saw a man before.**

 **Zack asked confused:" Tifa?",**

 **She jumped lightly before asking:" Y-yes?",**

 **Tifa remembered his heartfelt announcement of gratitude while she was spacing out and ogling him. She said with a light blush:" I-It's nothing Zack really. You have all the time in the world to repay me back! C-could you get the kids and tell them I'm making breakfast?",**

 **He smiled at her and nodded, oblivious to her gazing before.**

 **He put on his uniform in the other room, as he exited he was buckling up the leather straps on his shoulder guards when a sweet, delicious smell hit his senses.**

 **He was walking like a possessed zombie towards the kitchen, where Tifa was cooking breakfast.**

 **Bacon.**

 **Eggs.**

 **FOOD!**

 **Zack was broken from his wonderful trance when Tifa was pointing the hot spatula at his face like a weapon.**

 **She said:" Out.",**

 **Zack swallowed thickly, he raised his arms in peace offering and said:" H-hey….I uhh…f-forgot something…",**

 **She rose an eyebrow and asked:" In the kitchen?",**

 **He eyed the bacon stripes which weren't cooked yet.**

 **Bacon…**

 **He shook his head and murmured playfully:" Women with spatulas are evil…",**

 **Tifa laughed and playfully shooed him out, Zack's stomach all the while protesting.**

 **He walked up the stairs and knocked lightly on the children's door.**

 **He heard Marlene shout:" It's open!", before he opened the door and entered the room.**

 **Marlene and Denzel were fully dressed, they bumped into his legs when they tried rushing past him.**

 **Zack laughed and asked amused:" Hey, hey. Where's the rush?",**

 **Both shouted:" Food!"**

 **Zack understood.**

 **They had a mission to accomplish.**

 **He motioned for them to be quiet and started quietly maneuvering his way back to the kitchen along with Denzel and Marlene.**

 **He slightly opened the door, his eyes zeroing in on the bacon.**

 **He whispered:" Alright, listen up. Here's what we will do. Marlene, you go inside and distract Tifa. Denzel, you try sneaking past her and steal the bacon."**

 **Marlene asked with her hands on her small frame:" And what will you do?",**

 **Zack grinned and said:" Keep watch.", he winked.**

 **The kids frowned. They didn't like the plan.**

 **Denzel suggested:" Why not you be the distraction?",**

 **Zack looked at him and said:" Uhh….ok? But how do I distract her? Kids are better at being cute!",**

 **Marlene giggled and said:" You'll think of something! Let's go!",**

 **Zack sighed and moved in for the kill.**

 **He greeted cheerfully:" Hey there stranger!",**

 **Tifa smiled at him and nodded.**

 **He leaned against the wall and said while eyeing the door:" So, Tifa, uh, what vehicle will we buy?",**

 **Thankfully the woman looked at him while she answered:" Oh, I don't know. You will have to decide what's best for you, Zack. But not something too big, I don't think your deliveries will require anything more than transporting parcels and some packages."**

 **He crossed his arms and said:" So, a motorcycle?"**

 **She said:" Yes. You know how to ride one?",**

 **He nodded and said:" Yeah, uhh…I had experiences with it before.",**

 **He didn't want to tell her of how he rode one when he and Cloud were on the run. Bad memories.**

 **He cleared his throat when he noticed Marlene slowly sneaking behind Tifa towards the prize: the bacon.**

 **He said to catch Tifa's attention:" Tifa! Tell me, how was Zangan like? You know like a master and all? I've heard of him before, heard he was a good guy.",**

 **Tifa answered:" Oh, yes. He was in his advanced years when he began teaching me. Most would say he was a grumpy, old man. But to me he was always sweet and kind, strict and valued discipline but kind nonetheless. Whenever I had given up hope he was always there to catch me if I fell and offer me words of wisdom and encouragement."**

 **Zack nodded, discreetly eyeing Marlene lifting her arms up to the plate.**

 **He asked:" So, what else did he teach you except martial arts?",**

 **Tifa thought for a moment before saying:" A lot of things. We worked on my self control most of the time, to stay calm and focused in the midst of battle, to focus my energy into my fists and legs to make my moves stronger. And-",**

 **She turned around, startling Marlene with the plate full of bacon in her hands.**

 **Busted.**

 **She finished while taking the plate back from Marlene:" –to notice sneak attacks from my opponents, no matter how quiet they try to be.",**

 **Tifa sighed and gave a pointed glare to Zack, who was whistling innocently.**

 **She giggled and said gently:" Sit down. Breakfast is almost done.",**

 **Zack and the kids cheered, Denzel rushing inside the kitchen to sit next to Marlene.**

 **Tifa was wondering how the kids warmed up to Zack so quickly, then again the guy was friendly, charming, open and funny, no wonder the kids like him.**

 **He grinned at her when she set the plates down and sat down herself, enjoying the, for once, noisy atmosphere in her home.**

 **"** **Ugh…",**

 **A gloved hand gripped the aching arm covered by black cloth tightly in pain.**

 **"** **N-not again…", muttered a deep, male voice.**

 **The throbbing in his arm subsided after a few minutes, the black, murky liquid dripping down his arm.**

 **He sighed and took a white, stained, rag to clean his arm.**

 **Geostigma.**

 **Incurable disease.**

 **Denzel and countless other children were suffering too.**

 **So was he.**

 **He re-read the thick text book again, finding very little information about Geostigma.**

 **Symptoms, causes, stages, durations…**

 **But no cure.**

 **He hadn't done a delivery in so long…when was the last time he even ate?**

 **Luckily he had enough Gil with him but it wouldn't last long if he continued this up.**

 **He checked his phone.**

 **One new message.**

 **From Tifa.**

 **Always from Tifa.**

 ** _"_** ** _Hey Cloud. How are you? I know, it's silly asking since you never call or pick up the phone but force of habit I guess. If you're wondering about the deliveries, don't worry I'll take care of them. The kids are doing fine and I'm getting help around the bar and household. I hope you don't mind, he's waiting to finally see you after so long. Stay safe, ok? Bye."_**

 ** _No new calls._**

 **A fair brow raised in confusion.**

 **Getting help around the bar?**

 **Was Barret staying longer in Edge nowadays?**

 **No, that can't be. He heard about Barret being more in Corel Village and Cosmo Canyon.**

 **Yuffie? No, no. Tifa said it was a "** ** _he_** **"** **.**

 **And what did she mean with excited to see him after so long?**

 **It must be someone he knew, but whom he hadn't seen for years.**

 **Who could that be? It was no one from AVALANCHE, Tifa would have said their name.**

 **Cloud lifted his hand and brushed his spiky, blonde hair back.**

 **Who was he?**

 **Who was with Tifa?**

 **Ohh…a tone of jealousy? Concern? Who knows? Gihi, Zack's first mission of stealing bacon! With the kids! I had the idea and just had to write it! :3 I think Zack would be great with kids if he didn't die… (sniff) About the scene with Tifa ogling a shirtless Zack…(whispers) I know the Zack Fair fans would have too if they had the same opportunity…don't deny the truth! BTW: The title suggests Zack** ** _actually_** **going on his first mission but I decided this chap would be with more humor, a little breather from all the death and bloodshed. (clears throat) Right…tell me what you think (or I'll stop writing – heed the threat)**


	12. Black Beauty and Pops

**Hey guys! (sighs in relief) I managed to squeeze in this chapter for the time being but the week's looking pretty busy so I'm not sure if I will be able to write anything until the weekend! The last scene was depicting Cloud, at an unknown location, listening to one of Tifa's voicemails. She told him she was getting help with the bar and the deliveries though she didn't say Zack's name. Now Cloud is confused as to** ** _who_** **is with Tifa. Enjoy my cherished readers!**

 ** _Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy. I just own the plot!_**

 **Chapter 12: Black Beauty and Pops**

Tifa asked as she looked at the impressive assortment of motorcycles in the shop:" Anything you like Zack?",

The man was looking around, a slightly displeased frown on his face.

Tifa sighed and said:" This is the 5thstore we looked at already Zack…are you sure there isn't anything here you like?",

Zack looked at her and shook his head, he answered:" Low quality, too high a price, metal isn't quality iron or even reinforced, barely any room to place the deliveries on, tires are too thin-".

Tifa exclaimed:" Alright, alright! We will go look somewhere else.",

As they exited the shop and walked around aimlessly for a while Zack suddenly speed walked straight to an old garage with several mechanics inside working.

There it was.

His future motorcycle.

The black beauty was almost beckoning him to her, her strong _polished_ black metal gleaming in the faint sunlight, tires that are wide enough so the motorcycle can stand alone without a rider, it was a three wheeler but Zack didn't mind, all the better for balance.

He walked towards it and asked one of the mechanics:" Hey pops! How much do you want for this beauty?",

The large man which was working on the engine of a car turned around, wiping his hands on a stained oil cloth.

His eyes widened when he spotted Zack.

He said:" Hey wait a minute…don't I know you? Weren't you that boy from SOLDIER that was heading for Midgar a few years back?",

Zack narrowed his eyes, taking a good look at the man.

His scanned his face for the familiar small scar which was located on the man's neck.

 _There!_

The scar was there!

Zack laughed and said:" Pops!",

He gave the man a friendly hug, chuckling.

Finally a semi-familiar face around here!

The older man chuckled and said:" Zack was it? I remember you and your blonde haired friend asked me to take you with me to Midgar.",

Zack's eyes lowered slightly, Cloud…

He shook his head and grinned saying:" Yeah…thanks a lot for that. I owe you one.",

The man grinned and said:" Nah, no problem. If anything, I owe you.",

Zack's eyebrows raised in confusion, he asked:" What do you mean?",

The man chuckled and asked:" Remember when you were talking with your friend about dreams and honor? About opening a business that does everything?",

Zack nodded.

He smiled and said:" Well, I did. It was successful until Meteor hit. Though I still have this smelly ol' garage left.",

Zack looked at the medium sized garage, it was tidy unlike most he had seen, fairly clean and of course full of tool boxes, car and motorcycle parts alike.

The man smiled and looked at the bike saying:" You interested?",

Zack crossed his muscular arms and said:" Yeah, how much pops?",

The man smiled at the title and said:" Call me Aaron and it's for free because it's you.",

Zack's eyes widened, he looked at the bike that had captured his attention and said:" What? No, no, no. I can't accept that Aaron. How much? Name your price.",

Aaron chuckled and waved him off saying:" It's because of you I managed to fulfill my dreams and restore my honor, Zack. This is the least I can do."

Zack hesitated, he didn't want to betray him. Hell he had to pay him _somehow._

Zack grinned and asked:" How about I help you out? Bring the repair shop to its former glory?"

Aaron shook his head and asked:" You would be willing to do that? For how much?",

Zack's grin widened as he said:" For free. As payment for the bike.",

The older man thought for a moment before asking:" Can you do construction work?",

Zack smirked.

The days seemed to end far too quickly for Zack's liking.

He was wearing a black, muscle shirt fixing the sign on the front.

" _Aaron's Repair Shop"_

Aaron grinned and praised happily:" Well done Zack! You're doing a good job, Ifrit knows when I would have finished with all of that.",

The front door was already replaced, the garage looking more and more like the shop Aaron had owned before he relocated.

The interior was furnished, broken things fixed, tiles applied to walls, new, sturdy wooden floor boards, new equipment brought in…

All in all, after several months of working with Aaron, Zack was finally feeling like he was doing something useful.

Not only was he helping fixing the shop, but he was also learning more and more how to repair cars and bikes from Aaron.

After night was slowly approaching, Aaron had told Zack to go home for the day.

Zack asked concerned:" You sure? Tifa won't mind if I stayed a while longer and help you clean up."

Aaron waved him off and said with a wink:" No, no, I will handle this. You go home to your wife and kids.",

Zack glared playfully at him and said:" Oi! I told you Tifa is not my wife and Denzel and Marlene are NOT my children!",

Aaron laughed, he loved teasing Zack.

Zack shook his head in amusement and waved to Aaron, walking off towards the place he recently had been calling "home".

* * *

He smiled when he saw Tifa, still working behind the bar, serving her patrons drinks.

Zack greeted a few of the familiar patrons and sat down on a stool in front of the bar.

Tifa asked:" How was work?",

It had become something of a routine for them.

Zack coming home from helping Aaron maintaining the shop, Tifa working in the bar and asking each-other how their day went, talking about the kids, AVALANCHE…etc.

Zack answered with a bright smile:" It was good. We managed to sell a lot today, Aaron was happy about his shop bustling with life again. His mechanics also came back to work for him."

He looked at Tifa and asked:" How was your day? You look exhausted.",

Tifa giggled and said:" It was alright, busy but alright. I spend some time with the kids and worked the bar like usually.",

Zack nodded saying:" Still, you shouldn't overwork yourself.",

She shot him a warm smile and said:" Don't worry, nothing I can't handle-",

Suddenly a large hand slammed down on the counter, making the wood vibrate and the filled glasses tremble.

Tifa took a step back in surprise.

"Hey, bitch! I thought I told you to give me another damn shot!", the obviously semi-drunk elephant of a man demanded.

He was approximately the size of a house, the scar on his eyebrow and the menacing look in his eyes would have made anyone run with their tail between their legs.

But not Tifa Lockhart.

She placed her hands on her hips and said:" I told you, I won't give you any more, you've had enough drinks for today.",

Unlike most other bartenders, Tifa was one where she was concerned about her customer's well being.

That being said, she followed a strict policy.

If the customer was so drunk their behavior bordered on aggression, she refused to give them anymore alcohol.

This obviously didn't settle quite well with the drunkard.

He grit his teeth and said:" You damn, fucking whore! I told you to give me more right now!",

The man grabbed her black shirt, tugging her forward uncomfortably.

However, Zack's hand immediately shot out to forcefully pry the offending hand away from Tifa.

The other, mostly male, guests were alarmed, standing up.

The drunkard hissed:" Hey! What the hell's your problem?!"

Zack, who had stood up to stand protectively in front of Tifa, said with a warning look in his dark blue eyes:" Listen to the lady and get out. Nobody is touching her without her permission under my watch.",

Zack stood tall, glaring straight at the angry man.

The man shouted in rage:" What!? Who the fuck do you think you are punk?! Just give me some booze or she will get a few broken teeth!",

At the threat, Zack's eyes narrowed, his arms tensing.

Zack took a step forward and said in a deep voice:" I told you to get out drunk.",

The man shouted in blind rage, swinging a massive fist towards Zack.

The former First Class SOLDIER easily evaded the punch, he grabbed the man's arm, twisting it sharply behind his back.

He cried out in pain, Zack said in his ear in a low, threatening voice:" Listen, _punk._ Unless you want to anger me, get your drunk ass out of this bar and _never_ touch the woman that way again. I really hate men who treat women like trash you know?",

Zack pulled the heavy man out, shoving him hard towards the street, standing in the doorway until the seething drunk stumbled away.

He sighed in relief and went back inside.

He noticed all the guests, including Tifa, staring at him wide eyed.

Suddenly, the bar broke into cheers and applause.

Most men and some women came to Zack, swinging an arm around his shoulders and shouting:" Let's drink to the hero who protected Miss Lockhart!",

Tifa smiled, giving out drinks on the house for Zack's "victory".

One man came right to Zack and patted him on the shoulder, grinning widely.

He said:" Gee man, you're a hero! Thanks for protecting Miss Lockhart, she's a diamond in this trashy city. And we all don't want anything to happen to her.",

Zack smiled, nodding to the man.

* * *

After Zack helped Tifa clean the bar up and place bar stools on the tables, Tifa said with a warm smile:" Thank you for today Zack.",

The man looked at her and nodded, smiling.

He said:" No problem, really. Sorry if you were so surprised, I just snapped when I saw him grabbing you like that.",

Tifa, with a light rosy hue on her cheeks, said to his back:" Don't worry about it… I'm glad.",

Zack stopped putting the stools on the tables as he turned to look at her.

She said with a small sigh:" I may be an expert in martial arts…but every now and then I miss being treated like a normal woman…not in the kind of way where the man does everything but where I don't always have to put up a strong front.",

Zack's eyes softened in understanding, he nodded and said:" I get where you're coming from. My mom used to be like that too. She was the strongest woman I knew but every once and a while she wanted to be treated like a lady.",

Zack stepped closer to her and said:" It's not a sign of weakness you know.",

Tifa smiled weakly at him.

He frowned and placed both hands on her shoulders, he lightly leaned down and said trying to catch her gaze:" Hey, look at me.",

Tifa raised her eyes to his face, a sad look in them.

Zack smiled warmly and said:" Let's see that pretty, bright smile again huh? It's alright to be weak, to drop your walls and let people in. I learned that a long time ago, when I met Aerith. Before that, I kept focusing on becoming 1stClass and becoming a hero.

When I actually became 1stClass, I wasn't as thrilled as I thought I would be. That time, Angeal and Genesis were viewed as traitors from Shinra."

He looked at Tifa and said:" Sometimes you only appreciate the things and people in your life when they are gone. I learned that when I lost Angeal…",

He smiled a small smile and finished:" Bet he's watching from the Lifestream and calling me "pup" again."

Tifa placed a hand on Zack's forearm, squeezing softly to comfort him.

She whispered:" Zack…",

She slowly stepped closer to him and hugged him, trying to offer him the comfort he wasn't able to receive when he needed it the most.

Zack hugged her back, stroking her back in silent thanks.

He whispered with a smile:" We are friends right?",

Tifa giggled and hugged him tighter saying:" Of course puppy.",

He chuckled.

When they broke apart he gave her one of his famous grins and said:" No more tears and feelings of guilt alright? If I see you frowning again I'll try my hardest to make you smile.",

Tifa smiled genuinely and said:" I know you will."

* * *

 **End!**

 **Phew…well, some of you may wonder if the bike Zack fell so hard for is Fenrir, it's** ** _NOT_** **.**

 **. (here _should_ be the link to the photo but somehow it doesn't work ., just type "harley davidson night rod" into google and you will see a black Harley Davidson with two exhaust pipes at the back and a thin red/orange accents at the tires.)**

 **THIS is the bike and a damn good one too! A Harley Davidson, ladies and gentleman! One of my favorites too :D Though you would have to slightly alter it's appearance by following the description above (wider tires, three wheeler…etc.) otherwise it looks just like this. ;) Hope you guys enjoyed the chapy! Especially when Zack protected Tifa *.* Read, review and like if you want!**


	13. Bodenheim and His Bike

**Hello friends! Back again! The week's almost over and I don't feel so stressed anymore, finished all my exams for now but next week will be pretty busy so I'll try to write 3-4 new chapters to keep you guys occupied! ;)**

 **BTW: I was thinking hard on what sort of motorcycle to give Zack, I didn't want it resembling Fenrir too much but I also wanted a few similarities between them (that's why the three wheeler). I thought a black Harley Davidson would be cool for Zack to drive, what do you think? ^^ Any ideas on what to name the bike? I want to give it a name but I'm stuck .**

 ** _Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy and all it's characters. All I own is the plot!_**

 **Chapter 13: Bodenheim and His Bike**

Zack huffed as he dispatched a large, heavy carton box filled with spare parts of cars and motorcycles in the shelf.

The shop was getting more livelier, the mechanics working furiously.

Aaron had decided to build a mini-shop next to the open garage.

Business was doing fine, considering the circumstances Edge was in now.

Aaron waved Zack over and said:" Hey Zack! Your lady called! She said it's important! I got her on the line.",

Zack had stopped bothering to tell Aaron to stop calling Tifa "his woman", to no avail.

The young man walked over to Aaron and took the phone from him thanking him.

He answered the phone:" Hey Tifa, what's up?",

Tifa answered from the other line:" _Zack, AVALANCHE is meeting up immediately. We received a call from Tseng, he said villages have been under attack from Shadow Creepers.",_

Zack's eyes widened slightly and he asked confused:" Uhh, Shadow Creepers? Weren't they some sorts of beasts that could transform into shadows or something at will?",

Tifa said:" _Yeah, hard to kill since they can change their form so easily. You need to come immediately."_

Zack said:" Don't worry, I'm on my way.",

Saying goodbye to Tifa, he hung up.

Aaron had been partially listening, he knew it was serious as he said:" Go. You can work an hour longer tomorrow if it makes you feel better.",

Zack smiled and thanked Aaron sincerely, before sprinting off towards 7thHeaven.

* * *

The former Turks and AVALANCHE were already there when Zack had opened the doors to the bar.

The kids were there too.

Almost immediately they ran towards him, hugging his legs tightly while saying:" Zack!",

He chuckled and gently petted their heads, he said:" Hey there guys. Missed me?",

Marlene giggled and nodded while Denzel grinned and fist bumped Zack.

Tifa smiled and ushered the children upstairs before greeting Zack warmly.

Tseng said with his arms crossed:" Alright, now that we are all gathered we need to discuss who to send to what village to rid them of the beasts.",

Barret lifted a heavy hand as he said:" I got a question there Tseng. Tis' monsters are Shadow Creepers right? Then I'll go with Cid, he's a damn good pilot and we are a great team. And 'sides…I haven't fought in a while.",

That was actually a lie, since Barret was fighting nearly every day, whether it were Shinra grunts, monsters, foolish soldiers passing by…etc.

Zack crossed his arms and asked motioning with a hand:" Wait, I think we shouldn't just go for it. First, what villages are they attacking?",

Cissnei rose an eyebrow and said:" Why do you want to know what villages? It doesn't matter does it? They're still harassing and injuring innocent people no matter what village!",

Tifa said:" Wait, let's hear him out.",

Zack shot Tifa a grateful nod before continuing:" I know I was asleep for a long time but usually when monsters start suddenly attacking villages, especially poor ones, then there's always-",

Tifa finished in realization:" –A mako reactor there.",

The room went silent.

Cissnei was furiously typing something into her laptop she had brought along, her eyes widened a fraction when she read the information on the villages.

She said:" Tseng…Zack's right…all those villages have mako reactors there.",

The former Turk frowned and replied:" We know what happens when those mako reactors get unstable. I just don't understand how there are still any mako reactors there, since the people agreed not using mako energy anymore since Meteor.",

Zack said while looking on the floor boards:" Gongaga, my village, also had a mako reactor. The reactor there exploded and killed almost the entire village…while I was in SOLDIER…",

Zack's hands turned into fists, he grit his teeth.

Everyone was mildly surprised to see Zack's dark demeanor.

While the former Turks didn't know him that well as didn't Tifa, they knew to some degree that the guy was always cheerful and upbeat, always a determined optimist, even when looking death in the eye.

Tifa placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts.

He looked at her and forced on a smile, but she didn't buy it.

She said quietly:" Those smiles don't suit you…you look much better when you smile honestly.",

Zack joked with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows:" Oh? So, you're saying I look more handsome with this smile?",

He grinned a bright, cheerful smile. Tifa could see it was sincere and that prompted her to smile back.

She shook her head and said:" Still the same as ever I see…",

Zack grinned and bumped shoulders with her playfully, Tifa giggled and did the same.

Tseng narrowed his eyes and said:" Alright, since now we know there are most likely mako reactors there we will divide into groups."

Barret said:" Like I said, I'll go with Cid and Vince will probably sense we need him or shit like that. Hell, I can't believe the man still doesn't have a damn phone. Gotta buy him one before he forgets how people's voices sound."

"I think I won't forget your voice so soon.",

A deep, mysterious voice said from right behind Barret.

The large man sprung up in surprise, whirling around to face the man.

Barret said cheerfully with a big grin:" Vinceeent! We missed you bud!",

The very tall, dark haired male grunted in reply.

His red eyes landed on Zack, scanning him carefully.

He asked:" Zack Fair, SOLDIER First Class?",

Zack was surprised but didn't let it show, he said carefully:" Yes.",

He himself observed the man carefully.

He was very tall, taller than Barret and Zack himself.

He was wearing a tattered red cloak around his broad shoulders, fixated with leather in the center, tipped, seemingly metal, gold boots, black pants and a gun holster on his hip.

 _Cerberus…_

The three headed hell hound guarding the entrance to Tartaros, the Underworld. The three heads of the dog were made as replacement to the normally round muzzle, the barrel was stainless polished steel, decorated with some sort of pattern.

Zack wasn't a big fan of guns, favoring swords more, but he had to wield a gun before, as did many other SOLDIERs.

Zack finally asked him:" How do you know me?",

Vincent answered:" I have my sources. Heard various stories of the great hero Zack Fair, saving his best friend Cloud Strife and seemingly dying in battle…",

Vincent asked:" How are you alive?",

Zack crossed his arms and said:" It's thanks to that bunch over there that I'm still alive and kicking.",

He gestured to the former group of Turks.

Tseng stood up and said:" Long time no see my friend.",

Zack asked:" Wait! You know him?",

Tseng answered while still looking at Vincent:" Of course, he was a former Turk after all.",

Even Tifa and the rest of AVALANCHE seemed surprised, Cid said:" No fucking way…",

Then Cid and Barret burst out laughing.

Barret said:" Yo, man that can't be! Our Vince being a Turk?! That I don't laugh! In what the hell did he dress? In those fancy suits of yours? Oh man I would give all my Gil to see that!",

Cissnei teased:" We have kept pictures.",

In response, Vincent glared at her. Though his gaze seemed deadly serious, Cissnei smiled.

Zack smiled, recognizing the mysterious gunslinger as a comrade.

He stepped forward and extended his hand, he said:" Well, I'm glad to get to know you there. I'm Zack, but you already know that huh?",

Vincent looked at his hand and shook it firmly, he said:" Vincent.",

Zack grinned and nodded.

Tseng said with a smirk:" Well, now that our brother in arms joined us as well we will make the groups.",

Just like before Barret, Cid and Vincent went together, the gunslinger warily agreeing.

He didn't particularly fancy the two loudmouths along with Cid's excessive swearing but they were good people and even better fighters.

Reno said:" Well, me and Rude are teaming up. I'll shoot the damn creepers from the sky while Rude finishes them with his bazooka.",

He grinned at his tall friend, Rude only nodded in response.

Tseng replied:" Alright, Cissnei and I will head north.",

Tifa suddenly asked:" Wait, where's Yuffie?",

Vincent surprisingly answered:" She was called back to Wutai in order to discuss some things with her father. She will join us later.",

Tifa nodded, looking suspiciously at the gunslinger.

She knew Yuffie had a very big crush, no scratch that, she was _in love_ with Vincent Valentine though Tifa suspected Vincent felt the same.

She will need to get the gunslinger drunk at one point and force the answer out of him.

Tifa noticed with mild embarrassment that only Zack and her were left.

Zack leisurely draped an arm around her shoulders and said:" Alright! The backwater experts go monster hunting!",

Tifa smiled and said:" Right, we will investigate the village closest to Edge. I don't want to leave the kids alone for too long.",

Zack suddenly said:" Oh, they won't be alone Tifa, don't worry.",

She looked up at him in question, Zack answered:" I asked Aaron if he was free to watch after the kids. He said yes but only if you agree.",

Tifa smiled and said:" Of course, he's a good man. I bet Denzel will be thrilled to have a professional mechanic watching over him.",

Zack smiled and phoned Aaron quickly, with the latter promising he would arrive as soon as he could.

Zack hung up and said:" Well, that's cleared. Now, what's the nearest village to Edge?",

Cissnei answered:" I haven't heard of it before, it's called Bodenheim. It's northwest from here and not that far if you have a ride.",

Zack and Tifa looked at each-other and said:" But we travel by foot since we don't-",

"Who said you don't have a ride son?",

Zack turned around to look at Aaron, who was standing in front of the door with a large smirk on his face.

Aaron said:" I told you if you help me out I'll give you the bike, didn't I? Since you helped me out for longer than we agreed and helped me more than I could imagine, here she is.",

Zack walked outside to see the motorbike Aaron was talking about.

There she was.

The black beauty that had caught Zack's attention.

Polished, sturdy, fast…

He asked:" Fast?",

Aaron smirked and said:" The fastest I ever built.",

That was enough for Zack, since he witnessed what a skilled mechanic the old truck driver was.

Zack said to Tifa and the others:" I guess the ride won't be a problem anymore.",

Tifa smiled and hugged the surprised, old mechanic.

She said:" Thank you for everything Aaron.",

The man smiled and patted her back like a father would his daughter, it made Tifa like him even more.

As the group dispersed, with Aaron locking the 7thHeaven so nobody could walk inside, Zack mounted the monstrous bike.

Tifa commented idly:" I like her.",

That filled Zack with pride and joy, he didn't know why but he was very pleased to hear Tifa say that.

Tifa went behind him, Zack warned:" Just hold on tight, I don't drive like a crazy drunk but if the villagers are really being attacked as we speak I'll have to drive fast.",

Tifa nodded, wrapping her arms securely around Zack's waist.

A shiver ran up Zack's spine, he shook his head.

He blamed it on the feeling of finally riding a motorbike since…years.

He started the engine, which roared pleasantly in response.

He grinned and said:" Ready, Tifa?",

She smiled and said:" Ready.",

Zack laughed as he kicked the bike into motion, driving incredibly fast through the desert-like terrain.

Tifa laughed along with him, tightening her embrace unconsciously around him.

It was a nice feeling, the wind caressing her face, the sound of the engine running, one of Zack's hands holding onto hers tightly to ensure she had a firm grip…

She felt safe.

Safer than she felt in a long, long time.

* * *

Cloud growled as he killed the last Shadow Creeper, the attacks were getting more frequent and Cloud didn't know why.

He knew something very wrong was happening but he couldn't place his finger on it.

He gripped his arm…the cursed arm…

He shook his head and continued speeding down the desert.

Maybe after all this time he would have to pay a visit to the 7thHeaven.

He tightened his grip on Fenrir.

No…that wouldn't be a good idea. After everything he had done to Tifa…

He grit his teeth and headed straight towards one of the villages he knew was under attack from Shadow Creepers, Bodenheim.

 **Ohoo, heading in the same direction that Tifa and Zack are heading. What do you think? Are they bound to meet? *.* Stay tuned! Read, like (if you want xd) and review please! Critics are appreciated! BTW: I made up the name "Bodenheim" since it sounded like….a "backwater village" ;)**


	14. Following the Trails of the Dead

**Chapter 14 finished! Mwuahaha….ok. Zack finally got the (awesome) bike he desired after working long and hard at Aaron's shop. Him and Tifa decided to head to the village closest to Edge, Bodenheim, in order to kill the Shadow Creepers. Little did they know a certain someone was heading in the same direction as them. What do you think? Will more than just memories clash with each-other in this fateful encounter?**

 **Continue on reading if you want to find out! ;)**

 ** _Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy but Square Enix does! I just own the few OC's and the plot ofc! :D_**

 **Chapter 14: Following the Trails of the Dead**

* * *

Zack and Tifa sped down the desert until in the distance they could make out a small black spot, which was slowly morphing into what looked like a village.

The monstrous bike stopped a few feet away from the village entrance, Zack turned off the engine while Tifa jumped off.

She narrowed her eyes and said:" Zack…it's too quiet.",

The former First Class said while his hand automatically moved to the handle of his sword:" Yeah…get ready.",

Tifa put on her black, leather gloves, scanning the area.

Silence.

Zack moved closer to Tifa, he whispered close to her ear:" One…",

Silence.

He whispered:" Two…",

A growl.

"Three!", they sprang away from each-other just as a whole group of Shadow Creepers lunged at the spot where they previously stood.

Zack grinned and sliced one Shadow Creeper in two as Tifa dealt with three of them.

He charged at them, using a flame materia on three while he sliced and diced with his sword another one.

Tifa shouted:" Look out!",

Zack did a double roll on the ground, moved onto his back and used his legs to kick the Shadow Creeper that had tried attacking him from behind.

Zack frowned when he saw them shifting from physical forms to shadows, circling Tifa.

He jumped over them and stood with Tifa back-to-back.

She panted softly, Zack tightened his grip on his sword.

He asked while observing the hungry monsters around them:" You ok?",

Tifa nodded and asked:" You?",

Zack grinned and said:" Heh, I'm just getting started.",

Tifa smirked, Zack attacked first while Tifa was protecting his back.

And so they continued until they had seemingly eliminated all of them.

What both noticed too late was the leader, the biggest of them all and the strongest, sprinting towards Tifa.

Everything happened fast.

Zack jumped in front of Tifa, aiming his sword for the monster.

He sliced it in half but not before the large claws of the beast had managed to graze Tifa's right arm and torso.

She cried out in pain, falling towards the ground.

But Zack was faster.

He quickly discarded his sword in order to catch her in his arms.

His worried, blue eyes scanned her injuries, determining the extent of the damage.

He decided they may not be deep but they still needed to get treated as soon as possible.

He phoned Aaron and told him to go home, that they would arrive soon.

Zack hadn't noticed just how much time passed, the battle was a rush but in reality a few hours already passed.

Zack caressed her cheek and asked softly:" Tifa, can you hear me? Please, you have to stay awake.",

Tifa looked at him with pain filled eyes, laying helplessly in his arms, and suddenly it reminded him of…

 _Nibelheim…_

 _The fire…_

 _Tifa…_

 _Masamune…_

 _Sephiroth…_

 _I…I hate you!_

Zack shook his head, now was not the time to dwell on the past.

He readjusted Tifa carefully in his arms and picked up his sword, he slowly mounted his motorbike and quickly sped off towards 7th Heaven.

He briefly looked down at Tifa's pained expression, her eyes tightly shut…

His grip tightened protectively around her…

It was his fault…

* * *

Cloud finally stopped short of the village, his picked out the main blade and the shorter side blade and headed carefully towards the village center.

He listened carefully…

After a while he didn't hear anything.

Shadow Creepers weren't known for their patience, so it surprised him how they didn't attack him yet.

He cautiously knocked on the door of an old bakery shop.

To his surprise, a middle aged, obese man casually opened it.

He asked:" Can I help you?",

Cloud asked:" Wasn't your village under attack by Shadow Creepers?",

The man rose an eyebrow and asked:" Shadow Creepers? Oh you mean those beasts that can transform into shadows? Yeah but just a moment ago there were two people, they already took care of the job.",

He shot Cloud a glare but he brushed it off.

Cloud frowned and asked:" Two people? Who were they?",

The baker shrugged and said:" Don't know. It was a man and a woman. The woman got hurt and the man immediately sped off after they finished off the monsters.",

Cloud asked in curiosity:" What did they look like?",

The man thought for a moment before he said:" Let's see…the woman was shorter than the man, long brown hair tied into a loose pony tail, leather gloves, black leather skirt, black leather shirt, well developed too…",

Cloud pressed before the man drifted off into la-la land:" And the man?",

The baker shook his head and answered:" Uh – right. He was pretty tall, black spiky hair, glowing blue eyes, carried a sword and knew how to use it too, dressed in typical SOLDIER garb. That man was definitely from SOLDIER, don't know why someone like him would help a backwater village as Bodenheim.",

The man closed the door in front of Cloud's face.

Cloud froze.

SOLDIER? Black, spiky hair? Glowing blue eyes?

 _For the both of us…you're gonna… live… You'll be….my living legacy…_

 _My honor, my dreams… they're yours now…_

 _Embrace your dreams, if you want to be a hero, you need to have dreams._

 _The price of freedom is steep._

 _Hey…would you say I became a hero?_

Cloud fell to his knees, gripping his suddenly aching head.

Memories started flooding his mind…

Memories of his best friend…

Memories of the man that died protecting him…

Memories of Zack Fair…

" _Hey, we are friends…right?"_

Cloud grunted in pain.

No!

 _Zack!_

 _Zack!_

 _You'll be…my living legacy…_

 _My living legacy…_

Cloud panted, still clutching his head tightly.

The images stopped, the pain stopped.

He took a moment to collect himself, before he slowly stood up and walked shakily towards Fenrir.

Whoever this SOLDIER guy was, he had to get to 7th Heaven. Immediately.

Whoever he was, Tifa was in danger.

Denzel and Marlene were in danger.

They were his family, he couldn't allow them to get hurt because of his stupidity.

Cloud kicked Fenrir into gear and sped down the desert, heading straight for Edge.

 _Whoever you are, don't you dare touch my family or you will regret it._

With that last thought, Cloud sped up Fenrir with a fierce determination.

* * *

 **Hehe….how was that? Hope you guys enjoyed it! :D Looks like they WILL meet after all and I'm not sure if it will be pleasant. ^^ We will see won't we? Read and review please!**


	15. Meeting you at last

**Gihi…chapter 15! (drums) Finally the moment we have been waiting foooor! Though I wanted to wait longer, I myself got excited and just "went with the flow". XD**

 **(clears throat) Ladies and Gentleman, and of course SOLDIERS ;), the fateful encounter between Zack and the stoic Cloud starts here! (bows)**

 **IMPORTANT: Some of you read the "old version". As I reviewed (yes I reviewed my own story :P ) I said I would change a few things, like adding more emotion to Cloud and Zack and add some thoughts on how they felt. So yeah…here it is. Hope it's better! Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 15: Meeting you at last**

* * *

Zack unlocked the door to the bar and carefully carried Tifa inside, bridal style.

She was halfway asleep, Zack had kept talking to her to ensure she wouldn't fall asleep.

It reminded him of…when Cloud had mako poisoning…

He shook his head and shut the door, walking upstairs and calling to the kids that they were home.

He didn't need them seeing Tifa in such a state, it would only worry them.

He turned right, to where he knew Tifa's bedroom was.

He lightly kicked the door open and entered it.

Zack carefully set Tifa down on her bed, cringing when she hissed in pain.

She slowly opened her burgundy eyes, looking up at him.

Zack's heart clenched painfully, he willed himself to think it was normal to feel such concern for a friend.

She was just a friend. A dear friend.

Zack quickly went inside the bathroom and searched the cabinets for bandages, scissors and a disinfectant.

He returned with all the items and set them on the night desk, turning to the injured woman.

He braced himself and asked softly:" Tifa…", gently touching her cheek.

She opened her eyes slowly.

He asked carefully:" Tifa, I'm sorry, but I'll…have to see the wound more clearly…",

Zack was a grown man of 28, but he still felt heat rise to his cheeks. He fought it down stubbornly.

It seemed Tifa knew what he meant, she said with a small smile:" D-don't worry, it's alright.",

When Zack looked into her eyes for confirmation, he was surprised to find them looking back at him with so much trust.

In the past few months he had come back, they both spent a lot of time with each-other and of course Marlene and Denzel.

Tifa honestly thought it would take a lot longer for her children to warm up to Zack, but it seemed the man simply had such a personality that people could easily open up to and become familiar with.

Zack had helped her in the bar often when not working with Aaron, he had helped her as best as he could.

Though not without some…interferences.

Whenever Zack helped her in the bar, the amount of women drastically increased.

And Tifa had known exactly why, she had to confess…Zack was a very handsome man, coupled with his kind, friendly and cheerful personality it bound to drew the female population to him.

Zack had been oblivious of the flirting attempts of the women, or if he had noticed he didn't reciprocate them. Instead he only smiled at Tifa whenever he passed her and concentrated on serving the customers or cleaning the tables.

It made Tifa feel at ease, for reasons she didn't want to dwell on too long.

Tifa smiled at Zack and said:" I trust you Zack.",

Zack's eyes widened a fraction, his surprised blue eyes staring into her burgundy patient ones.

Zack braced himself and his hands slowly, carefully moved towards the zipper of her leather shirt.

He prayed Tifa wouldn't change her mind and direct her deadly fists at his face or any other part of his anatomy.

He slowly pulled the zipper down, all the while looking at her face to confirm she was comfortable.

Well…as comfortable as she could be when he was practically stripping her.

He shook his head and concentrated on not causing her unnecessary harm.

He gently parted the shirt and frowned when he saw the white undershirt she had underneath was bloodied.

Zack quickly cleaned away the blood, when he carefully wiped away blood on her chest his eyes zeroed in on something.

His fist clenched and he suddenly felt an unbearable amount of anger.

Right there, on her chest, a medium sized scar ran down and disappeared beneath her shirt.

Sephiroth…

Tifa noticed Zack's hand trembled in rage, she knew what he was thinking.

Her hand gently encased his own larger one, she said quietly:" Zack…I…you're the first one to see it…the scar…",

Zack immediately covered her scar with the towel and turned away, he said with a deep frown:" I…I'm sorry Tifa, I didn't-",

She cut him off, removing the towel:" I knew, I let you. Because I trust you with my life Zack. Y-you…you can look.", a blush appeared on her cheeks.

Zack stiffened, before slowly turning around.

His eyes landed on her face, she nodded smiling at him.

He smiled back and proceeded to finish cleaning her wound, he breathed:" I'm sorry Tifa. So very sorry…",

Tifa tightened her grip on his hand and said:" Don't be. It's not your fault. It's Sephiroth's, I accepted that a long time ago….and I never meant to say I hate you…you know that.",

Zack looked at her and confessed:" I still have those nightmares you know? Escaping with Cloud, Nibelheim, Sephiroth…and you. Telling me how you hated me. I wanted to atone for my sins…",

Tifa said firmly:" Zack…I'm sorry. You know I don't hate you.",

That brought a smile to Zack's face, his concerned gaze travelled to her wounds, he cringed in sympathy when Tifa hissed sharply at the stinging pain of the disinfectant.

He helped her sit up, sitting behind her so it would be easier to bandage her.

She said:" Thank you Zack…", a small blush made its way on her cheeks.

The man in question stilled, smiling gently at her back.

He said softly:" It's alright. And…thank you for sharing this with me…",

Tifa nodded, suddenly feeling shy.

Once Zack finished applying the bandage, he turned around to let Tifa get dressed in privacy.

The bartender giggled before saying:" Zack, you don't have to turn around, I have my shirt on.",

Zack scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment, his long spike swinging gently with the motion.

He said:" S-sorry…I uhh…",

Tifa felt a bit more at ease, at least she wasn't the only nervous one here.

He turned around when she gave him the alright, she smiled at him and said with a wink:" Well, I think at least one date is in order after seeing me half naked.",

He chuckled at her joke and said:" One date huh? Why not tonight? Close the bar earlier and I'll prepare everything for a relaxing evening.",

Tifa smiled at the suggestion and nodded, Zack helped her stand up but then he heard the front door slam open violently.

Zack heard the familiar unsheathing of a sword, a large one.

He gently set Tifa down on the bed, unsheathing his own sword from his back.

He whispered to Tifa:" I'll check it out, don't worry I won't let him go anywhere near the kids.",

Tifa nodded, tensing in alarm.

Who was that?

She wasn't expecting anyone and AVALANCHE wouldn't unsheathe their weapons in her bar.

An intruder.

Tifa was worried for Zack but she trusted him. He was strong.

Zack quietly avoided stepping on squeaking floorboards as he moved closer to the staircase.

He saw the tip of a large, wide blade coming closer to the stairs.

He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and swung with all his might, clashing against a larger blade.

How he wished he had his Buster Sword, he was far more accustomed fighting with it…

Zack grit his teeth, he was stronger than the intruder but he wasn't letting up either.

Zack glared into oddly familiar, _glowing_ , blue eyes.

 _Blonde, spiky hair…_

Wait…

 _Glowing, blue eyes…wild, blonde, spiky hair…_

 _Cloud…_

Zack's eyes widened, he exclaimed:" Cloud?",

The man, a bit smaller than Zack himself, loosened his grip on his sword.

Cloud's eyes widened in realization, he said:" Z-Zack…?",

Zack slowly lowered his sword, as did Cloud.

Both men just stared at each-other.

Zack blinked, he said fondly:" Cloud…it's really you…",

Cloud's sword clanked loudly when it fell to the ground, his gaze disbelieving.

He took a step back, his eyes look haunted.

Cloud swallowed thickly, he whispered:" Zack…you…you're dead…",

Zack sheathed his sword and said with a serious expression:" Well, Tseng and the others helped to fix me up. After I recovered we immediately to Midgar – err Edge. We found out about AVALANCHE, I met Tifa again and we searched for you everywhere man! Where were you?",

Zack's eyes narrowed as he looked at Cloud, something was wrong.

Cloud's eyes looked unfocused, lost…

 _Haunted…_

Cloud took another step back, falling to one knee. Zack was about to help him when Cloud started speaking…

"N-no…t-that can't be…I…I watched you die…you are _dead_! Wait…I'm not at the church…you shouldn't be here…",

Cloud gripped his head tightly, his blue eyes wide.

Zack said softly to calm him down:" Cloud, hey. Are you ok? Come on, let's get you some water-",

When Zack reached his hand down to touch Cloud's shoulder, the blonde harshly slapped it back.

Zack drew back in surprise.

Cloud whispered:" I watched you die…Zack…Zack…",

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _Cloud slowly dragged himself over the blood covered ground, the rain pouring down on him as he slowly inched closer to his fallen friend, Zack._

 _Zack's gaze seemed frozen until he noticed Cloud and he took a shaky, pain filled breath._

 _His blue eyes cleared a bit, yet they were dimmed._

 _He didn't have a lot of time._

 _Zack looked slowly at Cloud as the blonde asked hesitantly:" Z-Zack…?",_

 _Even in his near to death state, Zack could see Cloud's mind was still damaged from the mako._

 _Nevertheless, he smiled despite all the pain and said:" For the…both of us…",_

 _Cloud looking confused, had said uncertainly:" For the both of us?",_

 _Zack looked up at him, blood covering the side of his face as he said with difficulty:" That's right…you're gonna…",_

 _Cloud said:" You're gonna…",_

 _Zack used what little strength he had to lift his arm up, behind Cloud's head, pulling him down so his forehead rested against his bloodied, torn chest._

 _He finished with a breath:" Live.",_

 _Still holding Cloud's head down, Zack said with a small pained smile:" You'll be…my living legacy.",_

 _Zack's hand slowly fell back to his side, his strength leaving him, his breathing shallow…_

 _Cloud lifted his head slowly, feeling dizzy, the right side of his face covered in blood…_

 _Zack's blood…_

 _As Cloud had looked at Zack with a confused, lost look, Zack smiled and slowly lifted the Buster Sword he still gripped loosely in his right hand up to Cloud in offering._

 _Zack said with a determined and sure look in his eyes:" My honor, my dreams, they're yours now.",_

 _With a moment of hesitancy, Cloud took the hilt of the Buster Sword from Zack's hand, the latter's hand falling back to his side._

 _Cloud said:" I'm your living legacy.",_

 _Zack smiled, seeing the understanding dawning in Cloud's eyes._

 _Zack felt his heartbeat slowing, his lungs burned, it hurt to breathe, he could almost feel his blood seeping through the various bullet wounds that littered his beaten, broken body._

 _With what he knew was his final action in his life, he smiled at his best friend and closed his eyes for good._

 _Horrible understanding crashed into Cloud as he fully realized what had transpired just now._

 _His best friend, his protector, mentor, brother…_

 _Died._

 _Because of him._

 _Died protecting him._

 _With those thoughts, Cloud screamed in agony and pain._

 _Flashback End._

* * *

Cloud panted and stood up suddenly, gripping his sword tightly.

He looked at Zack as if seeing him for the first time.

Zack didn't know why, but he didn't like the look in Cloud's eyes.

He noticed the tense atmosphere and replied gently:" Hey, Cloud. It's me Zack, your best bud. You know, "backwater experts"?",

He grinned but Cloud didn't mirror his expression.

His face was emotionless and that scared Zack.

Cloud whispered one name:" Tifa…",

Zack thought over his next words carefully as he processed what Cloud had said and replied:" They've been through tough times, Tifa raising Marlene and Denzel, one who suffers from Geostigma, being a part of AVALANCHE, running a bar, trying to make enough money to get through…

I thought I taught you better… Remember when we talked about always wanting a family? When the others told me how you left, I didn't want to believe it.

What happened to you Cloud? What happened to my best friend who always wanted a family with the girl he liked?",

Zack purposely didn't mention a certain someone's name, _that_ he would leave to them.

Cloud's face remained emotionless, Zack didn't know why. What happened to him? Why didn't he react? Why was he on his knees earlier?

Zack suspected upon seeing him after years of thought being dead, it triggered something in Cloud…unpleasant memories and possibly a trauma…he couldn't think clearly.

Suddenly, Cloud's Buster sword replica was unsheathed.

Zack tensed, every cell in his body telling him to get into a fighting stance.

Why did he unsheathe his sword?

Cloud said with an emotionless expression:" Zack…",

Cloud's sword glinted as he held it with a firm grip.

Zack glared. He wasn't sure if Cloud would hurt Tifa or the kids, he doubted it but he couldn't take any chances.

He looked at the staircase, he would protect her.

It didn't matter that this was Cloud, right now he wasn't himself. And like this he was a very dangerous foe.

Zack would protect Tifa and the kids with his life.

Because he didn't want to lose people close to him again.

* * *

 **Cliffhanger! (gasp) God, damn it! I didn't mean to make Cloud so mean really! I wanted to write how they were stunned at seeing each-other, then reuniting in a happy, family-like atmosphere but then I thought this would give the story a twist! Don't worry Cloud won't be in wrong light for long! ;) Please tell me what you think!**


	16. Memories of a Forgotten Past

**Back again with a new chapter. The tension is rapidly rising in this chapter here and there will definitely be some action involved as well as painful memories resurfacing and some things being cleared between Zack and Cloud and maybe even Tifa! Enjoy!**

 **BTW: A sincere thank you to everyone who had taken their time to give me great feedback (Kender20 included of course!) I really appreciate your efforts guys! I know the chapter is short but the following one will be longer I promise! :)**

 ** _Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot and OC's!_**

 **Chapter 16: Memories of a Forgotten Past**

* * *

Zack carefully scanned Cloud, searching for something that could give him a clue from which direction he could attack.

His sharp, blue eyes followed a faint but noticeable twitching in Cloud's _right_ arm. Zack had dodged left, oh how he wished he had Buster with him…

Zack said as he blocked a frontal blow from Cloud's sword:" Cloud, listen to me! I know this is a lot to take in but let me explain!",

He grunted as he pushed back, the heavy weight of the sword relenting against his strength.

Cloud said coldly:" Explain? You're dead. A figment of my imagination, maybe even a side effect of the Geostigma…the real Zack is in the Lifestream with Aerith.",

The dark haired man grit his teeth and said:" No, I'm not! Tseng and the others saved my ass after I fought against Shinra! He told me you were gone and took the Buster Sword with you which I passed on to you! Don't you remember Cloud?",

The blonde narrowed his eyes as he locked swords with Zack in a deadlock:" Remember? You died and I couldn't save you, Aerith died and I couldn't save her. I'm not fit to help anyone at all, not my family, not my friends. No one. You're dead. If I believe for a second you aren't I…"

Cloud continued delivering blow after blow and Zack parried all of them expertly, he noted what a skilled swordsman Cloud had become and how adept he was at using his unique sword.

Though that didn't intimidate Zack in the least, it made him feel proud, if only that sword wasn't directed at him.

Cloud grit his teeth and shook his head violently.

Suddenly a confused, feminine voice asked from the stairs:" Cloud?",

Both men turned to look at Tifa, leaning for support against the wooden stairs. Her burgundy eyes betrayed her shock at Cloud's unexpected arrival and the fact both men were fighting each-other.

Cloud's cold gaze momentarily softened at the sight of Tifa, he said quietly:" Tifa…",

Tifa asked:" Cloud, what are you doing? Why are you fighting Zack? He's your friend! He saved me and helped me when I was injured!",

Cloud shook his head and Zack noticed with a start that his pupils were _silted_ like that of a serpent or-

"Sephiroth…", Zack said in disbelief and shock.

 _Jenova…Sephiroth…Geostigma…_

 _Geostigma!_

Zack looked at Cloud carefully and noticed something odd, only his left arm was covered by a long black cloth.

Zack pushed back with his sword and ripped off the piece of fabric easily, making Cloud stumble to the floor.

Zack kicked away his sword and stood in front of Tifa, looking down at Cloud frantically trying to cover his black spotted arm.

Tifa covered her mouth in shock as she said in disbelief:" The Stigma…C-Cloud…you…",

The blonde growled and glared at Zack menacingly, he shot up to his feet and punched Zack in the jaw hard. The former SOLDIER, mildly feeling the pain, head butted Cloud _hard_ and slammed his elbow against his stomach.

As Cloud doubled over, Zack caught him gently in his arms. The fight was over.

Zack said while looking down at his fallen friend:" Tifa…",

She slowly descended the stairs, keeping an eye on Cloud the whole time. She hadn't seen him be incapacitated so quickly.

With that thought in mind, she looked at Zack. Just how strong was he really? Sure, he used to be a First Class SOLDIER but did he really regain all his previous strength and maybe even get stronger within the span of a few months?

She didn't know, all she knew was Cloud left because he tried hiding the fact he had contracted Geostigma as well.

Ever since they had adopted Denzel, business around the delivery service and the bar had decreased drastically. But that didn't bother them too much.

Cloud was forced to take deliveries in Kalm and even further away villages, while he made more money that way he was unable to stay much at home, mostly sleeping outdoors.

As Zack placed Cloud on Tifa's bed, she looked at Cloud's face since she didn't see him in months.

He looked the same, his hair was longer but otherwise he was the same.

She eyed the sloppily made bandage around his forearm, the one with Geostigma…

Zack watched as Tifa applied a fresh bandage to Cloud's arm, affectionately patting the spot before nodding toward the door.

They checked on the kids, it was a miracle how they didn't wake up from their slumber from all that commotion.

Blue eyes watchfully observed Tifa as she slowly set two cups of tea down on the table and sat opposite of Zack, warming her hands on her cup.

Zack leaned forward and asked:" Are you in great pain?", he mentally kicked himself for the question, it was obvious she was in great pain.

But she smiled at his concern and answered:" No, I'm alright…thank you for earlier…", her gaze remained trained on her tea, her cheeks turning light pink.

Zack scratched the back of his neck instinctively, feeling embarrassment creeping up in him. It was just Tifa…why was he feeling so embarrassed?

He chuckled uncomfortably and said:" Don't worry about it…",

Tifa suddenly said:" Cloud had suffered a kind of personality disorder after he thought you…", she didn't dare continue, letting the words hang in the air.

Zack's eyebrow rose, he asked:" Personality disorder?", concerned.

She nodded and answered:" I assume it was because of everything he went through… Nibelheim being burned down, Sephiroth killing his mother, you dying… He thought he was you. He was behaving worse though, cocky, arrogant, flirty…",

Zack waved with his hands and said:" Oi, oi…that's enough. I have a vague idea of what you mean.",

Tifa smiled and shook her head, sipping her tea.

Zack asked after taking a sip:" How did he recover?",

Tifa replied:" Well, it was a long way. But me and the rest helped him, after an accident we were in the Lifestream and I pieced back his memories together. That's when he remembered everything, you included.",

Zack asked flabbergasted:" He….he forgot me?",

Tifa smiled sadly and confessed:" Mhm…I don't know how really. I'm guessing when he had assumed your personality he actually thought he _was_ you…in a way you didn't even exist…",

Zack looked down at the dark liquid in his cup, watching his blurred reflection stare back at him.

Cloud…forgot him?

His face twitched into a smile suddenly.

With a bright smile directed at Tifa's surprised one, Zack said with a warm tone:" Well, that means he moved on right? I know he couldn't control what mako did to his body or Sephiroth for that matter. It hurts a bit being forgotten but I know he would never forget me intentionally and despite everything that happened he has grown up.",

He chuckled softly and said:" I'm proud.",

Tifa blinked a couple of times before she smiled warmly, she couldn't help but stand up and walk over to Zack.

The man looked up at her confused and was even more surprised when she leaned down to hug his head, he moved his head so his face wasn't pressing into her bosom and…yeah…well damn it.

At least it was his forehead.

Tifa patted his hair and said quietly:" I'm happy you're alive Zack…everything will be alright now. I just know it.",

Both didn't say anything in a long while, Tifa still didn't let him go, not that he was necessarily _uncomfortable_ but well…

Nope, he was alright where he was.

He whispered just as quietly:" Tifa…thank you.",

He sensed her surprise and answered:" You helped Cloud when he needed it the most, you're holding everyone together and protecting them, you're raising two orphans and healing their broken hearts…

And in a way you're healing my broken heart too…",

With that Zack slowly disentangled himself from her hold, he stood up himself, towering over her.

He smiled down at her and placed his hand on the back of her head, Tifa's heart sped up in response.

 _Why was her heart beating so fast?_

Zack's expression softened considerably as he looked into her eyes, Tifa closed her eyes and almost stopped breathing.

Her eyes shot open when she felt soft, warm lips pressing against her forehead gently. It was sweet and not too long, yet it was enough to start a storm of emotions inside of Tifa.

Zack broke away and leaned his forehead against her own this time, looking directly into her eyes.

Tifa could see her surprised expression staring back at her in those crystal, clear blue eyes of his.

 _A SOLDIER trademark…enhanced with mako energy…_

 _The color of the sky…_

 _It looked so…liberating…_

So beautiful…

Zack smiled and said softly:" Thank you Teef...", with that he straightened up and brushed past her, going upstairs to check on Cloud.

Even after minutes passed, her heart didn't stop beating so fast and her face wouldn't return to its normal color.

* * *

 **Phew….would have written more but decided it would be for the next chapter. Expecting a kiss scene were you? Weeeelll….that will have to wait! Like I said, they will take their time. ;) Please like and review! Next chapter coming soon! :)**


	17. We are friends, right?

**Back again folks! Like I said next chapter arriving soon! Alright, Cloud will wake up in this chapter and him and Zack are going to try and get familiar with each-other again after years of being apart! Of course Tifa and AVALANCHE will play a role in it as well.**

 **BTW: The former Turks (Tseng, Cissnei, Reno and Rude) are also a part of AVALANCHE in case that wasn't clear. Peace! :D**

 ** _Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy, Square Enix does!_**

 **Chapter 17: We are friends, right?**

* * *

Cloud stirred, his head was pounding. The pain was thankfully gone but he could tell he had a serious case of headache…or his Geostigma was acting up again.

Without opening his eyes he reached for his arm with the Geostigma on it and to his surprise, he found it covered in cloth…a bandage…

His blue eyes shot open, his body immediately lurching forward in surprise.

He looked around quickly and relaxed when he recognized the room, it was Tifa's room.

Which mean he was…at 7thHeaven… Cloud calmed down, shaking his head and rubbing his forehead.

He looked to his right, directly looking at pictures of Tifa, himself and the kids as well as one with the whole group of AVALANCHE…

 _"_ _My family…",_ Cloud thought sadly. He had abandoned them…left them without at least saying goodbye or offering a explanation…

"Morning sleepy head.", a deep, male voice said playfully.

Cloud straightened and jumped, his head snapping to his left only to see the all too familiar male figure sitting on a chair near the bed.

His eyes widened…so it wasn't a dream after all…

He hadn't dreamt Zack was alive again like so many times before…this was real…

All the memories of the previous day came back to Cloud, it was in the afternoon when he arrived and he had slept the whole night.

He had fought with Zack…

He felt ashamed.

Cloud averted his gaze in shame, his arms coming up to encircle his bent knees, trying to hide himself from his best friend's sight.

Zack chuckled and said amused:" You didn't change much huh? Still the same shy kid I met back then.",

Cloud slowly moved his head to look at Zack, he still hadn't said anything.

Zack offered him a warm smile, he said lightly:" Hey Cloud, come on talk to me man. I feel weird talking to myself all the time.",

He scratched the back of his neck, the action all too familiar to Cloud.

Cloud said lowly:" Zack…how?", he looked up at him, he didn't change though he looked slightly taller and more muscular than Cloud remembered…

The black haired former SOLDIER explained with a serene expression:" After I gave you the buster sword, I thought I would die…hell I thought I _was_ dead. But as it turned out Tseng and the rest found me half dead and brought me to a military doctor who treated me. I was in a coma for months and was recovering for…3 months? Something like that. Anyway, after I trained again we immediately headed for Midgar…or well, Edge now."

Zack's lips twitched into a genuine smile as he continued:" Then I met Tifa and AVALANCHE and not to forget the little devils Marlene and Denzel. Man, those kids are amazing Cloud I tell ya! Right, well, I was searching for a job to help Tifa out and I found one at Aaron's repair shop. You remember that truck driver that drove us halfway to Midgar? I met him again after all this time and his business is bustling again!".

Zack grinned to himself, resting his hands on his hips.

Cloud sighed heavily and finally looked up at his best friend, protector, mentor, brother…

He said:" You know…all this time I visited and lived at Aerith's church in the slums…I couldn't really sleep because of the Stigma, but whenever I could I had nightmares of…that time…what happened in Nibelheim with Sephiroth…my mother…Tifa…and…",

He paused and looked directly into Zack's eyes:" -what happened to you…after fighting off those SOLDIERS… I had them often but whenever I was about to get killed you…you always saved me Zack. Just like you had back then…",

Zack smiled warmly, he sat on the bed beside Cloud and placed both hands on Cloud's broad shoulders, giving his friend a bright smile.

Zack said:" I told you didn't I? We are friends and I would never think of such thing as abandoning you, Cloud. I'm sorry I wasn't able to be there for you when you had to go through all those horrible things…",

He paused for a while before joking lightly:" Seems like I can't leave you in peace even in your dreams huh?",

He chuckled, playfully punching Cloud's shoulder.

Cloud didn't move at first, the action catching him off guard. He looked at Zack's playful eyes and smiled a small smile, he returned Zack's action with a small punch to his shoulder of his own.

Zack's smile brightened, his eyes shining with happiness.

Cloud wasn't as cold as he tried pretending to be, he was still the Cloud he knew somewhere buried deep inside. He knew. He would dig out that Cloud no matter what, all it took was time.

And support and love from their friends.

Zack shocked himself momentarily by automatically thinking of Tifa and the kids when he thought of the word "love".

Shaking his head to rid himself of the unexpected thoughts, he said to Cloud:" Hey buddy, you hungry?",

Cloud nodded saying:" Yeah, don't know when was the last time I ate actually.",

With a clasp on Cloud's shoulder Zack grinned and said:" Well, time to eat! Come on, Tifa's made awesome breakfast!",

As the two men were heading downstairs, it was weird for Cloud to see Zack so… _comfortable_ and familiar with his home.

 _His home…_

Yeah…if Tifa let him in again after how much pain he brought her and the kids…

He sighed as he descended the stairs, seeing something very unusual.

Zack had petted Marlene and Denzel's heads affectionately, he went over to Tifa and took a small piece of the fresh pancakes that were on the plate beside Tifa. The woman slapped his prying fingers away with her spatula and held it in front of his face like a weapon, Zack holding his hands up in surrender and a meek grin on his face.

Tifa smiled and shook her head, telling him that food would be ready soon.

Cloud's heart clenched in pain, he didn't know why but it looked like…it looked like they were a real…family…

 _A family…_

Just then they all spotted Cloud. And the room went silent.

Tifa offered him a small smile and said:" Cloud, you're awake.", it was simple and not really what he was expecting.

Thankfully a reaction he indeed was expecting, Marlene and Denzel had jumped off their stools and hugged him. Though not as energetic as they used to and he had to wonder about that.

Hadn't they missed him? Did he hurt them so much that they felt betrayed by his leave?

Cloud tried to tell them how sorry he was but couldn't find the words, instead he affectionately petted their heads and felt a familiar feeling creeping up inside his shut off, cold heart.

Familial warmth.

He smiled a small smile at Tifa, who offered him a smile in return. He sat down between Marlene and Denzel and waited for breakfast on one of the larger tables.

His eyebrows rose in question as he noticed Zack helping Tifa prepare breakfast, he asked before he could stop himself:" You cook?",

Zack grinned and said:" Yeah, Mrs. Fair drilled cooking and whatnot into my head. Why do you think I'm deathly afraid of spatulas Cloud?", he winked.

Tifa giggled and playfully bumped her hips against Zack's sideways, while reaching for the salt. The action made him chuckle.

Cloud's eyes narrowed at the weird action.

She never did that to him…well…he wasn't always home but…

Cloud didn't know what it was, he had only experienced it a handful of times but it couldn't be…

Zack was his best friend and loved Aerith and he knew Tifa held some affections for him so it couldn't possibly be…

It couldn't be that Cloud Strife was feeling jealous?

He shook his head, a scowl settling on his features. He had to eat something to clearly think.

* * *

Still the nagging feeling didn't leave him throughout the whole day, Cloud was for once home and stayed while the bar was open, sitting usually in front of the bar counter or somewhere where he could watch Tifa from afar.

What caught his attention most though was how… _familiar_ Tifa was acting with Zack and he with her…it was unexpected to say the least.

Cloud knew Zack had been living with them for the past couple of months but…did they become such good friends?

It caused Cloud to have a hollow feeling in his gut, he knew it was ridiculous but he couldn't shake it off.

Should he talk with Zack? Or would he become angry? No, why would he? Cloud groaned, sipping on his drink.

He narrowed his eyes when Zack served a table full of women, who obviously seemed quite interested in their waiter than their drinks.

Instead of Zack flirting back or attempting to make idle conversation, he served them their drinks, wished them a nice day and went back to serving other customers. Failing to notice the disappointed looks the woman wore.

Cloud turned away when they directed their eyes at him, damn it. Those damn harpies…

What Cloud failed to notice was the relieved look Tifa had when Zack had moved away from those harpies.

She couldn't explain it herself, what that weird feeling was. She just had it and it made her feel slightly nervous being around Zack.

It helped that he joked with her and made her smile and laugh when he noticed her nervousness or tense posture, thankfully he hadn't caught on what _caused_ it.

What worried Tifa more were here…dwindling feelings for Cloud.

Of course he was her childhood best friend but somehow…her heart didn't flutter anymore when she saw him…she barely reacted at all when he had offered her that tiny, barely-there smile in the morning.

Which was weird considering she had always tried getting _some_ kind of reaction out of him since she found him that fateful day, mind muddled with mako.

She was determined.

She was determined to solve the mystery about Zack Fair.

The man that she may or may not start to develop feelings for.

What Tifa had failed to notice but which didn't escape the watchful eyes of one Cloud Strife, Zack had looked at Tifa and smiled such a warm smile which Cloud hadn't seen in a long, long time…

* * *

 **Done….the feels! ^^ Sooooo….what do you guys think? Good, bad? Too cliché? Review please! And thanks for the previous ones! :)**


	18. When you weren't there

**Alright, I'm ready for story time! Hope you're too** **J** **Well, as I said I have more time on my hands and I'll try to update my other stories like** ** _"Just Like Heaven"_** **and** ** _"_** ** _Family"_** **more often now. Enjoy this chapter dear readers! There will be more Zifa moments for all those Zack &Tifa fans out there! ;)**

 ** _Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy, I own the plot and OC's!_**

 **Chapter 18: When you weren't there**

* * *

It was a fairly lazy Sunday morning for Cloud, since there wasn't much to do he opted to check on Fenrir and see if he needed an oil change.

As he opened the door to the garage he was surprised to find most things, like carton boxes he was _sure_ he hadn't organized at all, neatly organized and stacked.

He looked into the drawers, finding various small, glass boxes containing all kinds of screws, organized by size.

 _Not_ organized by _him_.

"Tifa and I cleaned up the garage, nice huh? You can finally see the floor.", joked Zack from behind Cloud.

The blonde warrior turned around and asked:" You and…Tifa?",

Zack grinned and nodded, he said:" Yeah, wasn't easy though. Sheesh Cloud you really need to learn how to organize yourself, you couldn't even see your own feet from all those screws and bolts lying around.", he winked as he rested his hands on his hips.

Cloud didn't know how to feel around Zack anymore, sure they were still friends and good ones judging by Zack's demeanor. Though Cloud had to get something off his chest…

"Zack…",

Said man perked up at hearing his name being called, Cloud looked on the floor and asked:" Are you…how did Tifa react when she first saw you?",

Realization dawned on Zack's face as he understood his friend's question, ah… when she first met him after his supposed death…

Zack crossed his arms in front of his chest and said:" Well…she…", he cleared his throat.

He sighed and said with a smile:" She hugged me and told me how relieved she was I was alive. She couldn't believe it, Cloud. _I_ couldn't believe it… I was so happy to see her and then later getting to know Marlene and Denzel. They gave me hope again…",

He paused.

With another meaningful smile, Zack continued:" Hope to look forward to tomorrow and never give up, no matter if the situation seems hopeless.",

Tifa… _hugged_ him? Cloud knew they hadn't exactly interacted much in the past, but this was unexpected.

He never noticed anything before that Tifa actually missed Zack…of course, she was saddened when she heard about his death later but…

Then again…did he ever ask?

Cloud's blue eyes widened, he never did ask did he? Never was interested for things like that…only took care of his deliveries…and visited Aerith whenever he could instead of helping his _family_.

He shook his head softly, Zack asked:" Hey, um, wanna see my new bike?",

Cloud perked up at this in surprise, wait…

Zack had a bike? A motorcycle?

Cloud asked:" You have a motorcycle?", in response Zack only grinned and led him to a corner in the garage.

That's where Cloud noticed for the first time something big being covered by a large cloth.

When Zack removed the cloth, Cloud couldn't help but admire the fine piece of metal in front of him.

Of course, nothing could compare to his beloved Fenrir but…hell…it was a _good_ ride.

Cloud asked:" How…? When?",

Zack chuckled and said proudly:" Worked my ass off at Aaron's shop. In exchange he gave me the bike for free.",

Cloud lightly ran his fingers against the polished metal, Zack had as much taste in swords as he had in motorcycles it seemed.

Cloud straightened up again and nodded in approval and awe, feeling a strange wave of nostalgia hit him.

Zack said after covering the motorcycle again:" Yeah…she's beautiful. Anyway, wanna play with the kids some? We have nothing to do and I can imagine how bored they are feeling right now.",

Despite loving both Denzel and Marlene like they were his own children, Cloud found himself shaking his head in the negative.

He said:" Can't. I…have some deliveries to make. I won't be long gone.",

Zack's eyebrows rose, didn't he have his free day today?

He watched with narrowed eyes as Cloud hopped on Fenrir and drove off briskly, leaving Zack standing in the garage.

The man sighed heavily, shaking his head.

He said softly with a disapproving look:" You don't know what you are doing to them Cloud…that way you'll only lose them.",

He banished the thoughts as he closed the door to the garage, heading upstairs and carrying a laughing Denzel over his shoulder. He was leading a giggling Marlene by the hand down the stairs, grinning himself.

Marlene asked confused:" Zack, why aren't you carrying me like Denzel?",

Zack challenged:" So, you want me to carry you like that?",

Marlene blushed lightly and said:" No! I'm wearing a skirt and I don't wanna!",

Zack chuckled and ruffled her hair gently saying:" See? Gentleman lead ladies by the hand. And they carry a sack of potatoes like this!",

He playfully bounced Denzel on his shoulder, making the boy laugh and complain playfully:" Hey! I'm a lot better than a sack of potatoes!",

"Of course you are Denzel.", said a happy, warm feminine voice from the bar's entrance.

Zack lowered Denzel to the floor as both children ran to hug Tifa, not before she placed the grocery bags on the table so they didn't fall from her hands.

Marlene cheered:" Tifa! You're home!",

Denzel grinned and said:" We missed you!",

The woman smiled and teased:" Oh really? Did Zack make you guys any trouble?",

Zack clapped his hands together, giving Tifa the puppy look, she only laughed at the adorable sight she saw.

Marlene playfully said:" Nu uh! Zack taught us how a gentleman leads a lady!",

Tifa's eyebrows rose in confusion, looking at Zack.

He chuckled and walked closer to Tifa, he grasped her hand softly, his gloved one gently brushing her knuckles as he said:" How a gentleman leads a lady down the stairs.",

Tifa found herself trying to calm her ever increasing heart rate, she was perplexed.

Tifa smiled brightly and said:" Ah, I see. Well, I hope you guys are hungry!".

The kids cheered loudly, running straight towards the kitchen to prepare everything for a meal.

Meanwhile, Zack's hand was still gripping Tifa's softly and she found herself staring at him.

She was doing that a lot lately, whether he realized that or not.

She said shyly while looking at their hands:" Um…Zack…",

The former SOLDIER replied absently:" Hmm?",

Tifa looked around for something before she asked:" Where is Cloud?",

That seemed to have snapped him back to reality, as if being electrocuted Zack let go of Tifa's hand, backing away.

His expression turned grim as he said:" He said he had some deliveries to make. Won't be back by supper.",

Tifa's heart sank, her hand felt cold. She muttered:" Oh…",

A awkward silence followed as Zack decided to break the ice by changing the subject:" You need help with these?", he pointed to her grocery bags.

Before Tifa could protest, Zack took all grocery bags, his muscles bulging from the slight strain and carried them in the kitchen announcing dramatically that he was bringing food.

Tifa giggled, shaking her head in amusement.

She couldn't say she was happy when Cloud and Denzel were suffering from Geostigma but…

Zack Fair had made her smile more in the past few months than she smiled in the past few years.

* * *

 _In the afternoon:_

Zack was leaning against the doorframe of the Seventh Heaven, watching the spotless sky.

There were no stars tonight, come to think of it, Zack never saw stars ever since he arrived in Edge. Maybe it was because of pollution, especially in the city but still…Zack missed watching the starry sky.

His father always told him how each star represented every person's wish on the earth, their hopes and dreams. Of course, Zack had asked if his father had wished for anything and if his star was up there as well.

That was when his father looked down at his young son and told him with a warm smile:" _I never had a star. Because all my dreams had come true, because of you and your mother.",_ he had kissed his son's head and led him back inside the warm house, in the awaiting arms of his beloved mother.

Zack had to smile while watching the sky. He never knew what happened to his parents, whether they were even alive.

If they weren't he hoped they were watching from the Lifestream with Angeal somewhere, looking down upon him and hoping they were proud of little he had accomplished till now.

"I used to love watching the sky as well at night, because of the stars.",

Tifa had arrived, standing behind him.

Zack's smile grew a bit as he said:" Yeah, me too. Though you can't see them.",

Tifa stepped forward more and said:" Just because you can't see them, doesn't mean they aren't there.",

Zack turned to look at her, he tried deciphering the double meaning behind her words.

She smiled lightly and asked:" Caught me huh? …I just…I always told myself when I was lonely and Cloud wasn't there that even if I couldn't see him, he was somewhere out there, protecting us from afar.",

Zack commented:" You seem unsure now.",

Tifa nodded and replied:" I am. It seems he doesn't view us as family since we aren't blood related.",

Zack smiled warmly at her and said:" You know, there are more ways than one to be a family.",

At Tifa's confused look, Zack explained:" Marlene and Denzel view you as their mother and they view Cloud as their father. If you ask me, that's a family isn't it?",

Tifa looked on the floor and said:" If only you were right…",

Zack's eyebrows rose in question. Tifa smiled and said truthfully:" In the past few months you've been here, I get the feeling that Marlene and Denzel rely on you more. Of course, Cloud wasn't there but the kids view you as their hero. As someone they could look up to and come to when they have problems or questions. And I appreciate that Zack, a lot.",

Her hand squeezed his bare shoulder lightly, a blush rose to her cheeks when she noticed in the dim moonlight he only wore a black, sleeveless undershirt.

He smiled and said:" They grew on me too Tifa. And…",

He paused, suddenly unsure of how to continue.

Tifa stepped closer and asked:" And…?",

Zack averted his eyes, his look suddenly looking guilty.

He straightened and said:" We should go to sleep too. It's late.",

He brushed past her, careful not to touch her too much in the process. And Tifa was left alone.

A uneasy feeling settled in her stomach.

And it stayed till morning.

* * *

 **Sooo….opinions? ^.^ I just had to add that little scene! :D Stay tuned for the next chapter mah friends!**


	19. The Church and Tifa

**Chapter 19 coming up! Thank you all for the reviews!**

 **READ!** **Faunalind and AkaiArashi1 I owe you guys special thanks for your great reviews and being one of my faithful followers! (thumbs up), sincere thanks to Kender20 for giving me quite useful tips on improving my story writing!** **J**

 ** _Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy, I own my OC's and the plot!_**

 **Chapter 19: The Church and Tifa**

* * *

Zack was helping Tifa carry in boxes of supplies for the bar when the door opened and Aaron came in.

Zack greeted cheerfully while depositing the box carefully on the floor:" Hey, pops! What's up?", he and Aaron did a little hand shake as Aaron sat at the counter.

The elder man said with a chuckle:" Nothing much boy, business is growing. You know, I could use another set of capable hands…", he sent Tifa a puppy eyed look while discreetly pointing a thumb in Zack's direction.

Tifa giggled while she filled Aaron a glass of beer and said:" Well, if Mr. Fair agrees with the arrangement of course he can work for you.",

Zack said:" Nonsense. You need help with the bar and the kids Teef.", the woman shot him a look and said:" You're doing enough Zack. And since you would be working at Aaron's, I would be able to close the bar sooner and spend more time with the kids. If Cloud comes back again then…",

The room grew quiet and Aaron shifted uncomfortably in his seat, he asked uneasily:" Cloud left again did he?", Zack had told him about Cloud's arrival and his sudden leave as well as his previous behavior. The elder man couldn't believe it was the same boy he had drove towards Midgar, he didn't seem the type to abandon a young woman with kids, especially in a city such as Edge.

Tifa nodded, rubbing her arm uncomfortably. Zack placed a warm hand on her shoulder, gently squeezing and he was rewarded with a appreciative smile.

None of this escaped the elder man's watchful eyes, he didn't dare say a word however as he contently sipped his drink. After Aaron left to take care of his shop, it wasn't long before Zack said to Tifa:" Hey Tifa…I'll need to head out for a while.",

At those all-too-familiar words, Tifa whirled around to look at Zack with hurt eyes. She gripped the counter behind her, no…it couldn't be…Zack too…?

Did he want to leave her alone like Cloud did one too many times? What did she do wrong?

Zack immediately noticed how afraid and vulnerable she looked, he was at her side in an instant as he leaned her head against his chest and said soothingly:" Don't worry, I'll come back. I'll definitely come back, I'll take my phone with me and come back as soon as I can alright?", he stepped back to look Tifa in the eyes.

She wasn't crying but there was that lingering expression of horror and loneliness on her features, Zack suspected she got every time she realized Cloud wouldn't come back to them.

Cloud…Zack clenched his fist, gritting his teeth in anger when he reflected on his best friend's unacceptable behavior.

It didn't matter that Cloud was Zack's best friend from their SOLDIER days and that he risked his life to protect him, this Cloud…Zack didn't know him. He didn't know what sort of man his friend grew up to be. He knew he still had some aspects of when he was younger but otherwise, his friend was gone.

He would have to have a serious talk with Cloud once he came back.

Zack petted Tifa's hair again and that reminded him of last night, his stomach did a uncomfortable flip.

He tightened his grip on Tifa, surprising her. Tifa could tell something wasn't right with Zack but she remained quiet.

After they broke apart he shot her a smile and left on his motorcycle, unlike in the past where the roaring of a familiar engine sent an unpleasant feeling up Tifa's spine, this time she felt hope.

Hope that Zack wasn't Cloud and that he would come back. He wasn't Cloud and Tifa was thankful for it.

* * *

Zack drove outside of the outskirts of town, towards where he knew once Midgar lay. He drove beyond it and up a hill, dodging boulders and rocks expertly.

He slowed once he was nearing…. _that spot._

The place where his last battle took place.

The place where he died.

Zack dismounted his bike, thankfully it could stand on her own thanks to her large wheels and approached just the edge of the cliff overlooking the ruins of what was once Midgar.

Zack looked around and spotted it…

His sword… the Buster sword…

Angeal's sword…

 _Zack…you have my thanks…_

 _Then what should an angel fight for Zack? What do angels dream of?! Angels dream of one thing…To be human._

 _Honor can be quite a burden at times…_

Zack gripped the red handle of the old Buster sword, it was rusty…

 _Use brings about wear, tear and rust, and that's a real waste._

"A real waste indeed Angeal…", Zack whispered, holding the Buster sword up against his face.

"I know you can hear me Angeal…somewhere up there, you were never a monster even if you kept telling me you were. You were an angel from the beginning, saving villages from monsters, fighting off the bad guys, guiding me on the right path….fighting for me and protecting me…",

 _You're a little more important than my sword…,but just a little._

Zack shook his head lightly and closed his eyes. He said:" You said I was more important than your family's honor and dreams Angeal…",

 _This sword is a symbol of our family's dreams and honor._

 _Zack, embrace your dreams... If you want to be a Hero, you need to have dreams... and honor._

Zack's blue eyes opened, determination burning in them like fire. He gripped the hilt of the sword tighter, his muscles bulging.

He looked up at the sky and shouted:" Angeal! You hear me old man?! I'll follow my dreams and honor! I'll heed your words! I'm sorry I never got to thank you for everything you've done for me Angeal! I'm sorry!", he fell to his knees, clutching the Buster sword tightly.

 _Zack…_

 _Zack…_

 _Focus!_

Zack's eyes opened wide, searching everywhere for the familiar voice. He wasn't at the cliff anymore, he was in….nowhere. The whole area was white, how did he get here?

"Zack.", an all too familiar voice said from behind him.

He slowly stood up and turned around, his eyes widening at who he saw.

Angeal…

"Angeal!", Zack shouted as he ran towards his deceased mentor, hugging him with all his strength and burying his face into his solid chest. Angeal sighed with a smile on his face, patting Zack's head gently, fatherly.

Zack sobbed when his mentor and father-figure hugged him back just as tightly, he said:" Zack…why are you feeling guilty?",

Zack gripped Angeal's shoulder and said:" I….killed you…", his eyes met Angeal's blue ones and he found only kindness and warmth in them.

The two men broke apart and Angeal said with a smile:" I told you to, didn't I? I forced you to otherwise you would have never done it. You didn't "kill" me Zack, you brought me salvation and prevented further chaos from ensuing. You _saved_ me and your friend Cloud.",

Zack hung his head down and said:" No…Cloud is different…Angeal, he's not the same he once was!", Angeal crossed his arms and said:" You aren't the same you were before, now are you? As isn't Tifa.",

Zack's eyes shot up to his mentor again in surprise, he asked:" You…you know about Tifa?", Angeal smirked and said:" Like you said last night, I'm watching you from the Lifestream and am proud of you pup.",

Zack averted his gaze, guilt consuming him again. Angeal stepped forward and asked seriously:" Tell me – why are you feeling so guilty?",

Zack couldn't look his mentor in the eyes as he said:" I…it's not fair…it's not fair towards Aerith that I…", Angeal challenged:" That you what Zack?",

The young man clenched his fists and remained quiet, Angeal sighed and said:" Zack…after 4 years of hearing nothing from you Aerith was waiting for you. But ever since Cloud had come back alone she had moved on. She took a fancy to Cloud.", he knew the words stung Zack but he had to know the truth.

"What…?", he couldn't believe it…Cloud? But…how?

Angeal placed his arms on Zack's broad shoulders as he said:" Cloud had moved on from Tifa, who was his childhood crush and started developing feelings for Aerith. Cloud fell into a depression when Sephiroth killed Aerith and along with suffering from Geostigma, that was the reason why he left Tifa and those two orphans.",

Zack shook his head in disbelief, he couldn't-didn't _want_ to believe that! Cloud would never do such a thing! But then again….years have passed…Aerith thought he had died when he hadn't answered any of her 89 letters…but still…

Zack took a deep breath and asked:" Angeal…did Aerith ever love me before?", Angeal smiled and nodded, Zack lifted his head up and said:" Then that's enough for me.",

Angeal narrowed his eyes and asked:" You're not angry Zack?", the younger man answered:" Why would I be? It hurts sure, but they moved on didn't they?", he paused and smiled.

He looked in Angeal's blue eyes again and said with a determined smile and said:" It's time for me to move on too.",

 _And Tifa…_

Angeal smiled proudly, hugging Zack again tightly. He said:" I'm proud of you Zack…and your parent's are too.", Zack felt Angeal's physical body vanish, felt the strong arms he had always felt safe in vanish as he found himself at the cliff again with Angeal's Buster sword in his hands.

Zack looked up at the sky and smiled, he said:" Thank you…Angeal.", with that he hopped on his bike and made his way to Aerith's church.

Once there, he went straight inside the old building and immediately spotted the flower bed.

 _Aerith…_

Zack walked forward until he was standing just short of the flowers, he closed his eyes and thought long and hard.

White. He opened his eyes and saw her.

Aerith.

She was wearing that pink dress he remembered he liked so much back then, otherwise she looked almost the same but a bit older.

He smiled and said:" Aerith.", in a way of greeting. Aerith smiled and said:" Hello Zack…",

Both turned silent until Zack broke the silence and said:" It's alright you know. With Cloud I mean.", Aerith gasped and said:" Zack please! I never-", he held up a hand to silence her worries.

He sighed and said:" It's been 4 years back then, when Cloud returned completely confused and not knowing who I am it must have been hard waiting for me. I don't blame you for your decision Aerith, I'm just sad that I didn't keep my promise or fulfilled any of your wishes…",

Aerith smiled kindly and said:" That's ok…you did in a way…before I died, Cloud was there for me and tried to comfort me after your passing…I had a feeling you fell in battle, knowing you, you would have dragged yourself to Midgar with a missing arm and leg just to fulfill your promise.", she giggled softly and Zack had to smile.

She turned serious and said:" And I'm not angry either, so stop feeling guilty, just like your mentor told you.", this startled Zack. Hell, could you see _everything_ from the Lifestream? Zack shook his head and said:" I…", but he couldn't find the right words.

Aerith shook her head and said:" You'll always be my first love Zack and I'll never forget you but don't you think it's alright to move on after all these years? You're not breaking your honor code by moving on you know?",

She offered him a warm smile and he found himself smiling back, he nodded and said:" Thank you Aerith…I'll never forget you too, you know that.", she nodded with a bright smile. She said:" Now go, I think someone more important needs you now.",

Zack rose his eyebrows and was about to ask what she meant when he found himself back in the church again and a familiar voice calling him:" Zack!",

It was Tifa.

Zack turned around and smiled at her, she was running towards him, panting lightly from running. He briefly wondered how she got here but decided to ask that later.

She straightened and asked worriedly:" Are you alright? What are you doing here? Did you-", just then she noticed the large sword strapped to his back.

Her eyes widened as she said in awe:" Z-Zack! Your sword, you…you got it back!", she looked happy. Zack smiled at her and said:" Yeah, I'll have to clean and restore it though. It got rusty and has tears in it over time…",

Tifa nodded and asked:" Zack…did you see Aerith?", he was startled, how did she-?

Zack composed himself and said:" Yeah.", she asked anxiously:" What….did she say?", Zack smiled and said:" She told me to move on and help the people here in Edge.",

Tifa bit her lip and said:" Oh…alright then.", as she turned around so they could go back to the bar, Zack smiled warmly at her retreating back and followed her out.

It may have been his imagination but he could have sworn he saw Angeal and his parents standing in the bed of flowers, smiling at him proudly.

* * *

 **That was intense…(shivers) Well, this was it my dear readers! Please tell me if you guys think the relationship between Zack and Tifa is moving too fast! I'll go slower if it's too sudden! O.O Read & Review please!**


	20. His Lullaby & Late Talks at the Bar

**(happy dance) Wow, I want to thank you guys for the awesome reviews!**

 **IMPORTANT : Shade the Hero, you're my hero! ^-^ haha Thank you for the reviews, I appreciate it. BTW: I'm a Cloti fan too but like I said…I got that idea stuck in my head about what would happen if Cloud becomes a ****_tiny_** **bit meaner and if Zack were alive, if Tifa would still choose Cloud? Well, yeah…who knows? ;) The story's far from done I assure you!**

 ** _Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy, I own the plot and the OC's!_**

 **Chapter 20: His Lullaby & Late Talks at the Bar**

* * *

Zack and Tifa were headed back towards Seventh Heaven, thoughts about Angeal and Aerith still lingering in Zack's mind.

As Zack slowed to a stop in front of the garage, Marlene suddenly ran out of an alley in a panic. Tifa immediately jumped off the bike and kneeled down asking worriedly:" Marlene! What happened? Why are you running?",

Marlene panted, clutching Tifa's shoulders tightly, fear present in her eyes. She said:" Tifa….D-Denzel…he…",

Tifa gripped the girl's shaking shoulders and asked:" Marlene where is Denzel?", Tifa felt her own heart accelerating with worry and fear of what could have happened.

Marlene said:" There were….three men…with silver hair, they…they took Denzel! They… kept talking about Denzel knowing where their mother is! I told them we didn't know anything but….but…", she broke down into tears.

Tifa held her tightly, Zack asked:" Marlene, do you know where they went?", Zack narrowed his eyes, his SOLDIER persona taking control.

The little girl said pointing in a alley:" They went there! Zack be careful they have weapons and are on motorcycles!", Zack nodded, he noticed Tifa was about to sit behind him again.

He turned the bike sharply and said:" You go inside with Marlene in case the bastards come again. Call Barret, Cid and Vincent. I'll go and bring Denzel back!", the engine roared as he sped up towards the alley Marlene pointed at.

Tifa was standing with a crying Marlene in front of Seventh Heaven, worry all over her face. She said while gripping Marlene's shoulders tightly:" Zack…be careful…",

Zack grit his teeth as he sped up, expertly turning inside the alley and dodging trash cans and people.

 _Damn it! How the hell did that happen?! What did those men want with Denzel? Why didn't they take Marlene too? And what did they mean with "mother"?_

Zack shook his head, he had to have a clear mind if he wanted to defeat three opponents and save Denzel.

Zack growled as he saw terrified villagers running away, right past him, he grabbed a man by the scruff of his shirt and pulled him close to his face, he asked sharply:" Tell me why are you running away? What's going on?",

The terrified man trembled in Zack's grasp as he said:" M-Monsters! S-some men summoned m-monsters and they are a-attacking villagers! T-they took a boy with them!", Zack let the man go and drove towards the direction where the terrified crowd was running away from.

He narrowly dodged a massive claw swinging at him from his side, managing to hit the monster with his sword, it dispersed into shadows.

 _Shadow Creepers…_

Zack dodge the Shadow Creepers and slashed at them, his blue eyes searching everywhere for Denzel.

There!

Zack's blood boiled in anger as he saw Denzel, sporting bruises and small cuts on him, three silver haired men standing behind him, one of them with short hair holding a katana near his throat.

That was it.

The bike slowed to a stop, a few feet away from the men and Denzel, the former SOLDIER noticed the Shadow Creepers weren't following him anymore, opting to circle him in a wide arc. His gaze turned back to the men, were they controlling the Shadow Creepers?

He asked standing tall:" Why did you kidnap the boy?", his gaze hardening when he saw how terrified Denzel was, but he tried acting tough in front of him.

 _Denzel…_

The one holding the katana said with a leer:" Oh? Are you his daddy? Look brothers, a worried father is trying to save his boy! How sweet! But aren't you looking a bit young to be a father yet hmm?", Zack frowned darkly.

He scanned the other two, the one with the long, straight silver hair was holding a gun, a wide range fighter… the other one with short spiky silver hair, looking more trained, sported a weird sort of machine gun or something attached to his wrist. Close combat.

Lastly he looked at the "leader" of the gang. Straight hair till his chin, katana, sword fighter, slim build…close combat and perhaps an agile fighter…

Zack quickly looked through his options on defeating them, he had fire materia with him, two healing materia, one ice materia and Buster… Zack would take the leader for last, the other two may be more easy to defeat.

He asked while resting the Buster sword on his shoulders:" Denzel! Are you alright buddy?", he offered the boy a reassuring smile, trying to tell him that everything would be alright.

Denzel looked at Zack with pleading eyes, he said:" Z-Zack! I-I'm fine! Where's Marlene and Tifa?!", Zack smiled and said calmly:" Don't worry, they're safe."

The one with the shortest hair said:" Hey big brother…do you think he knows where Mother is?", the leader of the group said:" Hmm….perhaps little brother.",

He stepped forward, Denzel tightly held back in his grip and said:" Hey you! Do you know where our beloved Mother is?",

Zack's eyes narrowed, he had to play his cards well if he wanted Denzel out of here safe and sound. He stood tall as he countered:" What if I do?",

The man frowned. At lightning speed, he charged at Zack clashing swords with him instantly. Thankfully Zack had fast reflexes…

The man said:" Don't anger me…", he attempted to push Zack back but the latter was stronger, forcing him to jump back a distance.

Zack growled and asked:" Who the hell are you?! And what's the deal with that mother of yours?", his blue eyes were narrowed, glaring at each of the men.

The leader said with a smirk:" How rude of us, it seems I skipped introductions. My name is Kadaj and these are my brothers, Yazoo and Loz. We are searching for our Mother, but perhaps you know her under a different name?

….Jenova.",

Zack's eyes widened, his blood ran cold.

That's when he noticed their eyes…

 _Green, pupils silted like that of a serpent or…_

 _Sephiroth…_

Wait! Jenova, Sephiroth…Geostigma…Denzel…"Mother"…these men…

Zack took a step forward and asked:" What are you planning on doing with Jenova?! Do you know Sephiroth?!", he growled like an angry wolf.

Kadaj smirked and said:" _Know_ Sephiroth? We are the remnants of the great Sephiroth. And once we obtain our dear Mother, Sephiroth's revival will be inevitable.", Zack gasped.

Sephiroth's….revival? They were planning on bringing back Sephiroth?!

Zack said as he was slowly nearing closer to them:" You plan on reviving Sephiroth so he could destroy the Earth? Like Jenova tried doing once before? That means you will be killed as well.", Zack locked gazes with Denzel, he tried discreetly pointing to the alley, behind where Seventh Heaven was. If Zack managed to distract them long enough Denzel could flee to Tifa and the others hopefully arrived till now.

Denzel seemed to understand, he nodded subtly trying not to act suspicious. He was nervous, but he trusted Zack.

Loz said:" Heh, so what? We were created to live long enough until Sephiroth is revived, we are only parts of him after all. Once he's revived, we will vanish. In other words, you will die and we will become Sephiroth.", he smirked.

Zack noticed Yazoo's hand twitching on his gun, he was preparing to shoot Zack should he come any closer. The Shadow Creepers around him were becoming restless as well, was Kadaj planning to surround him and kill him at once?

Zack braced himself, fisting one fire materia while holding his sword tightly in the other hand.

He took on a fighting stance, everything happened at once.

Zack shouted:" Denzel now!", Zack cast the fire materia at the Shadow Creepers, jumping out of the line of fire. He slashed at the remnants, which had let go of Denzel during the commotion.

While Denzel was running straight for the alley, five large Shadow Creepers blocked his path, ready to pounce on him. He glared at them, trying to scare them away by just his glare but he knew it would be useless.

Zack pushed away Kadaj and Loz, sprinting towards Denzel just as the Shadow Creepers advanced on him. He jumped in front of the boy, his large sword slicing through the monsters easily.

Denzel opened his eyes in relief, he said:" Zack you did it!", happily.

Blood.

Denzel looked up at Zack and he noticed his arm was bleeding, one of the Shadow Creepers must have grazed him with their claws.

But Zack only shrugged off the injury as if it were nothing. After getting shot at a hundred times and getting stabbed and bombed a couple of hundred more times, such an injury seemed like a mere scratch to him now.

He looked at Denzel and smiled, he said:" Don't worry about me, I got this. Go quickly towards Seventh Heaven. Tifa and the rest are there. I'll come soon.", he turned towards the remnants, taking a protecting stance in front of Denzel.

Denzel hesitated, he said:" Zack! Please…please come as soon as you can!", and he ran.

And ran. And didn't look back. He believed Zack could do it. He _knew_ he could.

Zack smirked, feeling a wave of protectiveness wash over him for the boy. He rolled his tense shoulders, holding the Buster sword high and ready. He would teach them a lesson for kidnapping Denzel and threatening Marlene under _his_ watch.

Kadaj mocked:" Oh? Isn't that sweet, you're putting your life on the line for the sake of that orphan?", Zack smirked and asked:" How did you know Denzel isn't my son?",

Kadaj answered:" Since when do sons address their fathers by their first names?", and he charged. Kadaj from his front, Yazoo shooting at his left and Loz coming at him with his weird arm attachment from his right.

While Zack blocked a blow and deflected the bullets, he felt a electric shock going through his body from his back, he jumped away and saw Loz, the machine retracting back into its place.

 _Electrical shock impulses? Damn…_

Zack shook off the tingling feeling, charging again.

As the battle raged on, Zack had managed to inflict some heavy damage to his opponents. Kadaj had a severely bleeding wound on his abdomen, Loz's weapon wasn't working properly and Yazoo's gun was cut into two.

Though they did a number on him as well, cuts here and there, a bullet wound in his stomach and a slash on his forearm. But Zack could take it, this he could endure.

Suddenly his sword fell from his slackened grip, he was falling to the ground heavily, his body feeling as heavy as logs.

Zack's eyes widened. _Gravity materia?_

The three were advancing toward him with menacing smiles, Shadow Creepers slowly approaching him from all sides as well. His sword was in his grasp but he couldn't stand up or even move.

Well damn.

He couldn't even reach into his pocket to cast Regen on himself. He had to think of something quick, but his mind drew a blank as he searched for escape options.

Kadaj pointed his katana at his throat, his sneer taunting Zack:" Well, well, well, it seems like the little SOLDIER is at the mercy of us three hmm? What should we do? Torture you so those brats and that woman hear your screams or finish you off quickly? After all, you were a worthy opponent…",

It seemed Kadaj didn't want to waste time on thinking as he lifted his katana up high above his head. Zack had heard an engine nearing them, an oddly… _familiar_ one.

Zack smirked up at Kadaj, the latter noticing too late why as a large sword finished off all the Shadow Creepers in the surrounding area and the effects of the gravity materia being cancelled out as Zack had suddenly shot to his feet and pushed his assailants away brutally.

Zack grinned widely as he said:" Hey! What took you so long Cloud?", he waved as his friend slowed Fenrir to a stop beside him, sword in hand.

Cloud noticed Zack had obtained his old Buster sword but chose not to comment on it now, he looked at Zack and said:" Sorry, I'm late.", he detached one of the larger parts of the sword and held them in his other hand while he wielded the main blade in the other.

Zack commented:" You have to show me how to use that some time.", he prepared himself for battle once more.

Cloud smiled slightly at him and said:" After we take care of them.", and they charged together.

Zack took care of Yazoo and Loz while Cloud went head-to-head with Kadaj. Kadaj suddenly exclaimed as he clashed swords with Cloud:" Look brothers! This is our big brother!", he pushed Cloud away, sending him flying and crashing into Zack.

The two men fell on the ground hard, groaning from the heavy impact. Zack said while holding his aching head:" Uhh…Cloud…you have to tell me something?", referring to Kadaj calling him "big brother".

Cloud stood up and said:" What are you talking about?", the remnant grinned and said while spreading his arms out:" Well, big brother doesn't recognize us does he? We are the remnants of Sephiroth, Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo. And you big brother have Mother.",

Zack clarified at Cloud's confused expression:" Mother is Jenova. They want Jenova's head so they can revive Sephiroth.", Cloud's eyes widened a fraction.

Cloud said as he readied himself:" Zack, I need you to do something.", the dark haired man listened carefully.

Cloud said:" I'll lead them away from Edge on Fenrir, they think I have Jenova's head so they will try to follow me. Fenrir is the fastest bike I know so it won't be a problem losing them. I need you to cast ice materia and freeze them for a moment so that you can head back to Tifa and the others while I get a heads start.",

Zack looked at him astounded, what?! He said:" Are you insane?! No way will I let you go off on your own! I promised Tifa I would bring you back!", he clasped his hand on Cloud's shoulder.

The blonde looked up at Zack, old feelings of security welled up inside him, feelings he thought were long since dead, along with his best friend. Cloud said:" Zack…you kept saving and protecting me before…",

Cloud joined the blade to the main sword again and said:" Now it's time I protect you for once. Now please go. I'll come back tomorrow.",

Zack looked at him long and hard, Cloud nodded and said:" I promise.",

That was enough for Zack.

He said:" You have your phone, use it.", Cloud nodded and readied himself. Zack cast the ice materia, temporarily freezing the trio while he took cover in the alley and Cloud drove away from the city on Fenrir. Zack watched as the remnants followed after Cloud, he felt his instincts telling him to help his friend but what was more important checking on Tifa and the kids.

Zack hopped on his bike and sped towards Seventh Heaven, quickly jumping off and opening the door to the bar. He saw Tifa treating Denzel's bruises while Marlene was clutching Barret's leg in worry. Cid smirked when he saw Zack, but quickly frowned upon noticing his injuries.

Tifa immediately went to Zack to support him, eyeing his injuries with concern. She asked:" Zack! What happened? Where is Cloud?", Zack asked her with a raised brow:" You saw him?",

Tifa nodded and answered:" He came by here, I told him what happened then Denzel came running here. He said you were injured and that you needed help. Cloud told me he would be back tomorrow and that you will return safe and sound.", Zack had to smile at that. It seemed his best friend wasn't completely gone after all.

* * *

In the afternoon:

Tifa had treated Zack's injuries with care, care which Zack hadn't felt in decades. Being a member of SOLDIER didn't offer the usual comforts people were used to, so Zack had appreciated Tifa's concern over him. He was finding himself in a unusual situation as he tucked the children into bed, gently pulling the covers over both Denzel and Marlene. Marlene giggled and kissed Zack's chin, making him chuckle and smile. She said sweetly:" Zack, are you feeling better?",

Zack smiled warmly and answered:" Yeah, thanks to Tifa. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine Marlene.", he kissed the girl's forehead, feeling happy to see her smile brighten even more at the action.

He turned to Denzel and was suddenly bombarded with a tight hug from the boy, his thin arms covered in plasters and bandages, the sight making Zack's blood boil at what Kadaj and his brothers had done to Denzel before Zack had arrived. Denzel said:" Thank you Zack…",

Zack smiled, patting the boys back and said:" Don't sweat it little man. Now go to sleep and rest, you were brave today and did well.", he did something he remembered Angeal and his father often doing to him when he did something good.

He gently ruffled Denzel's hair and nuzzled his nose against his, hearing Denzel's laughter brought a bright smile to Zack's face as he left them to sleep.

After closing the door he remained standing in front of it and hummed a tune his mother used to hum to him to make him fall asleep faster, it was a lullaby.

Zack pressed his ear against the door, a small smile appearing on his face as he heard the soft breathing of the two orphans. He was glad he could make their dreams at least a little more peaceful than their reality.

"That was beautiful Zack.", Tifa's voice said quietly in the darkness of the corridor.

Zack turned around, his enhanced mako eyes seeing her with little difficulty through the darkness. Zack motioned for Tifa to follow him downstairs as he said:" My mother used to hum me that lullaby whenever I had difficulties sleeping at night. I thought it might help Denzel and Marlene too.",

He switched on the small, dimmed light near the counter and filled his and Tifa's glass with water. He nodded his head at the bar stool and Tifa sat opposite of Zack, smiling kindly when he passed her the glass of water.

She asked eyeing his visible bandages:" How are you feeling?", before he could answer she added softly:" You don't have to lie, I was under Zangan's training, I know when someone's in pain.",

He shook his head with a smile and said truthfully:" The bullet wound stings a bit but otherwise I'm feeling fine. I'm worried about Cloud though-",

Ringing.

His phone was ringing.

Zack shot up, hissing in pain when his bullet wound acted up at the sudden motion and reached for his phone. He picked it up:" Hello?",

 _"_ _Zack? It's me, Cloud.",_

Zack asked:" Where are you? Are you alright?", he locked gazes with Tifa and waited with baited breath for Cloud's answer.

" _Don't worry about me, I'm fine. I'm at Cosmo Canyon at Nanaki's village, I managed to lose them but they're searching for me. Be on guard, they might come back. Are Tifa and the kids alright?",_

Zack swallowed the lump in his throat and said:" Yeah…they're fine. Cloud?",

" _Yeah?",_

Zack sighed heavily as he ran a hand over his spiky hair, now was not the time. He shook his head and said:" Be careful alright? We country boys gotta stick together.",

Zack could have sworn Cloud smiled when he said those next words:" _Gongaga is such a backwater name.",_

Zack grinned in delight as he remembered those words and said:" Ditto Nibelheim.",

The two men laughed and Cloud said:" _Well, I'll be going now. Take care of Tifa and the rest. Good night Zack.",_

Zack chuckled and said:" Yeah, you too Cloud. Good night.", and he hung up.

He said shooting a look at Tifa:" He's fine, don't worry. He's at Cosmos Canyon, at Nanaki's village.", Tifa nodded, relief showing in her burgundy eyes.

"Zack…what did you want to say last night…?", her expression was worried.

This time no feelings of guilt frightened to consume him and yet he felt he wasn't worthy. He averted his gaze from her and said:" Nothing important.",

Tifa slammed her hand down on the table and said:" Don't lie to me Zack!", Zack's startled blue eyes met her own furious burgundy ones.

"You're hiding something and I want to know what! Why did you leave the other day? Where were you?", there was hurt evident in her voice.

Zack sighed heavily and told her the truth:" I left so I can come to terms with my past…", Tifa's soft gasp told him he successfully managed to surprise her.

"The Buster sword…", Zack nodded and said:" I was at the cliff…overlooking Midgar…where I died and fought my final battle.

I saw Angeal there too. He came to me to rid me of my feelings of guilt, he gave me courage and hope again to start anew and take care of the people right in front of me.", he looked into her eyes meaningfully.

"Then what were you doing in the church?", she asked hesitantly.

"I was telling Aerith goodbye.", Tifa's eyes widened, she asked:" W-what?",

Zack smiled softly and replied:" I was telling her goodbye. I will never forgive Sephiroth for what he did, but I made peace with it, otherwise I would have been driven on by vengeance and neither Angeal nor Aerith wanted that. I was able to understand that and accept it. She told me it was alright to move on and live my second chance at life.",

Tifa slowly smiled at him, finally understanding. She sipped her drink and asked quietly:" How are you progressing?",

Zack smiled at her and said:" Good.", and she smiled back.

* * *

 **My god…I even surprised myself with this…well…since there are many things happening in this chapter I would really appreciate to hear your opinions dear readers (no matter if you're guests or users)!** **J** **I hope I managed to portray Zack and Cloud good in this story and hope it wasn't too rushed. Tell me what you think! (wave)**


	21. The Cold Shoulder & The Talk

**Back again! So far so good! Well, this chapter is in the morning right after the whole ordeal with Kadaj and his brothers! Cloud will be coming back too! And (hopefully) stay a while! ;)**

 ** _Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy, I own the plot and my OC's!_**

 **Chapter 21: The Cold Shoulder & The Talk**

Zack stirred, feeling warm, soft hands move about his chest and stomach carefully.

His body reacted faster than his brain it seemed. His hand immediately shot out, grabbing the intruders wrist tightly while he slowly opened his eyes.

And looked at a blushing…Tifa?

His blue eyes widened fully, he asked in shock:" What the hell are you doing?!", drawing back slightly. He quickly let go of her wrist to not bruise her accidentally.

Tifa frowned and said:" How rude! I was just trying to change your bandages and look at how your wounds are healing but you're being rude.", she crossed her arms.

Zack's eyes almost bulged out of his head as he exclaimed:" Wha-? RUDE?! I was being _rude_? I don't know what sort of weird good morning rituals were performed in Nibelheim but aren't _you_ the one that's rude by stripping me and feeling me up in my sleep?!", he glanced down at his shirtless and pant less state. Wait…where were his pants? He gave Tifa a weird look.

The woman sighed and said:" Hey! I wasn't _stripping_ or _feeling you up_ in your sleep! I was just trying to look at your wounds and you always sleep half naked Zack.", she shot him a challenging look, daring him to defy her.

He mumbled something as he raised his arms and said:" Fine, have it your way….I'll believe you for now, that you weren't trying to see me half naked.", he gave her a good natured grin. She swatted his uninjured shoulder playfully and rolled her eyes, concentrating on carefully removing the bandage around his abdomen and arm.

As Tifa applied a fresh one, Zack asked thoughtfully:" Say Tifa, has Cloud called?", he cringed when Tifa stiffened momentarily before she continued bandaging him.

She said with a small smile:" No, he hasn't, not since last night anyway.", Zack nodded, watching her careful hands take care of him. He looked into her eyes when Tifa said quietly:" Zack…",

"What is it?", he asked concerned, something was wrong. Tifa said with a warm smile:" Thank you for saving and protecting Denzel yesterday. He told me how that Shadow Creeper injured you when you protected him…I'm sorry I didn't-",

Zack cut her off with a serious expression:" Don't. I did it because I wanted to, not because I felt obliged to. I know I haven't known Denzel and Marlene for as long as you and Cloud, but they grew on me and I won't let anything happen to them Tifa.", he looked into her eyes, blue clashing with red/brown.

Zack didn't want to let on just _how_ the kids warmed up to his heart, he loved them like they were his own and not some orphans he had met a couple of many months ago. He watched Tifa thoughtfully, he sighed heavily and gently placed his hands on her own to stop what she was doing.

She looked up at him confused, he swallowed thickly and asked:" Um…when Cloud comes back…will you guys settle things?", he didn't breathe as Tifa stilled.

Her stunned eyes looked into his waiting ones and he began to breathe as she said slowly:" I…I'll tell Cloud how I feel Zack.", she offered him a small smile, finishing quickly with his bandages before she briskly walked towards the storage room, probably to check on supplies. Zack sighed, running a hand over his hair. He pulled on a shirt and his baggy black pants and combat boots.

He fell back on the couch when suddenly Denzel and Marlene jumped on him, hugging him tightly and shouting "good morning" excitedly.

Zack chuckled and sat himself comfortably on the couch, ignoring the stinging from his wounds. He ruffled both their heads and said:" Good morning you two! Had a nice sleep?", Marlene smiled brightly and said:" Mhm, thanks for yesterday Zack!",

The man rose an eyebrow until Denzel said with a smile:" We heard you humming to help us sleep better. Thanks Zack and thank you for saving me yesterday…", Zack's gaze softened as he nodded and told them to get ready for breakfast. He stood up and stretched his aching muscles, briefly removing his shirt to glare at the bandages. His glare intensified when the stinging of his wounds reminded him how reckless he sometimes was.

Zack's glare turned into a smile as he heard an all too familiar engine, just outside the bar.

He came home.

"Cloud!", Zack shouted as the man entered the bar.

The blonde haired warrior smiled a small smile at him and said in greeting:" Zack.", just as Tifa emerged from the storage room, looking directly at Cloud.

Her reaction was the least expected one:" Cloud.", she nodded, almost formally, at him. Her tone didn't betray any emotions she may have been feeling and Zack felt himself get worried over that little detail.

He asked confused:" What's wrong buddy?", Cloud was giving him a weird look, why he didn't know.

"Um…Zack?", the man rose an eyebrow in question before Cloud asked:" Where is your shirt?", cocking his head to the side and feeling something strange in him rise.

Zack scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, slowly pulling on his shirt, mindful of his wounds. He said:" Sorry about that, I uhh-",

Tifa cut him off surprisingly:" He got injured yesterday so I had to bandage him in the morning, he must have forgotten to put on his shirt afterwards.", she smiled at Zack, shaking her head in amusement.

She shouted:" Marlene! Denzel! Would you like pancakes or scrambled eggs for breakfast with toast?",

"Scrambled eggs please Tifa!", the chorus of replies came from both.

The woman nodded to herself as she tied an apron around her waist and disappeared in the kitchen, Zack yawned and followed after her, completely forgetting about the stunned man standing in front of the door.

What just happened….? Cloud shook his head and slowly walked towards the kitchen, the bar seemed to become more and more… _unknown_ to him.

He couldn't help that weird feeling he felt when Tifa mentioned bandaging Zack in the morning… _removing his shirt._ He shook his head and opened the door to the kitchen.

Tifa and Zack were both making breakfast together, Zack finally noticed Cloud when he snatched up a couple of eggs:" Hey there buddy! Wanna join? You could-", Tifa said almost coldly:" He doesn't know how to cook.",

Zack's mouth shut closed, he gave Cloud a apologetic look and said:" Oh…well, maybe then you could-", again Tifa cut him off this time softer:" You're here. Two people in the kitchen are more than enough Zack.",

He sent her a small smile when she smiled at him, but returned worried eyes to the blonde, shrugging his shoulders in defeat.

It was true, Cloud had no idea how to cook. He didn't even know many vegetable or fruit names. Aside from those in cans he occasionally bought to feed himself while he was away on deliveries or…well…away from Seventh Heaven.

Cloud retreated upstairs to his room, he met the kids in the hallway and smiled at them a small, barely there smile.

Marlene looked at him briefly, before she held her head high with a pout and continued down the stairs. Ok…that didn't go too well…

Cloud looked at Denzel with hopeful eyes, the boy always idolized him, he could expect a warm welcome from Denzel.

It seemed Lady Luck either didn't hear his pleas or she decided to make him beg for them as Denzel just looked at him and nodded, before following his sister-figure down the stairs.

Cloud frowned, sitting heavily on the small bed in his office/room. The room was bare, except for two picture frames on his desk, papers strewn across it…etc. It seemed Tifa didn't change anything here, he briefly wondered if she even entered his room while he was away…

Probably not, judging from her cold attitude towards him earlier. Zack had tried to help him get that familiar "family feeling" again, but it seemed Tifa and the kids didn't want to welcome him with open arms just yet.

Breakfast was simply put…awkward. Cloud felt like an intruder, like an outsider sitting with a family and him being the weird next-door-neighbor who didn't know how to cook and came by just to eat a few times.

He glanced at Tifa a couple of times, but the woman didn't even spare him a single glance, instead her warm gaze was directed at Zack as he was playfully making acrobatics stunts with his food in order to motivate Denzel to eat another healthy helping of scrambled eggs and toast. It worked as Denzel filled his plate and ate happily, Zack patting his head and nodding almost proudly.

Marlene, feeling suddenly left out, tapped Zack's arm as she finished her whole plate, making him grin brightly at her and tell her how good it was for her to always eat her plate empty.

That same philosophy was drilled into Tifa and Cloud, it seemed Gongaga wasn't so much different from Nibelheim after all, since they weren't exactly rich back then in their respective villages, their parents told them to always eat their plates empty since they never knew when food would be on the table again.

Finally, Zack looked at Cloud and saw him slowly poking his food, he frowned and asked carefully:" Hey Cloud, you ok man?", Denzel looked at him briefly but otherwise continued to eat. Cloud nodded, forcing himself to eat his fill as Zack watched him with worried, blue eyes.

After breakfast Cloud tried making himself useful by at least washing the dishes, that he could do. But Tifa took the plates from his hands and brushed him off:" I can take it.", disappearing in the kitchen. Zack remained sitting at the table, he and Tifa had worked out a system.

They would cook breakfast together, Tifa would clean the plates alone. They, or sometimes Tifa alone, would cook dinner and Zack would clean the plates and in the evening they would prepare supper together and clean together as well. He knew Cloud tried to fit in again but it seemed it would require hard work.

Zack sighed heavily and squeezed his friend's shoulder in comfort, he said quietly:" Hey…don't worry, anger fades after a while. Just give them time.", he nudged him with his shoulder lightly before glancing at the clock.

He scratched the back of his neck and asked:" Hey Cloud? I have to go to work today. Would ya like to come with me? I'm sure Aaron won't mind having a pair of extra skilled hands at his side.", he winked. Cloud contemplated for a moment if it were such a good idea and nodded wordlessly before following Zack outside.

Zack decided to walk, he had to talk to Cloud. They still had time to kill after all.

Zack cleared his throat and said:" Cloud, we need to talk.", Cloud hummed, signaling he was listening. Zack said cutting to the case:" I know about the relationship between you and Aerith.",

This caused Cloud to freeze in his tracks, Zack stopped walking a few steps ahead of him. Cloud's eyes were slightly widened in shock as he looked at his taller friend.

Zack's expression was serious, unlike his usual cheery persona. He sighed heavily and said:" Look, I'm not angry and I won't beat you up over it. It happened after I was…."dead" and after Aerith didn't hear anything from me for 4 years. Then you came back with no idea who I was and…well…yeah.", it wasn't the most comfortable topic to talk about, but it had to be done.

Cloud swallowed thickly and asked:" Why…why aren't you angry?", he finally lifted his shame filled eyes to the kind, blue ones of Zack's.

"Because…I accepted my past. And you should too.", he partially managed to turn around before Cloud asked:" How? Can sins really be forgiven Zack?", remembering a conversation he shared with a certain mysterious gunslinger of their group a while back.

Zack's eyes reflected the sadness and hurt he had experienced over the course of his young life, before clearing again with a determination that surpassed Barret's. He turned to Cloud and said with a smile:" I try Cloud. Everyone carries sins, you just have to know how to deal with them.",

Again, Cloud stopped Zack in his tracks:" What if they consume you?", Zack understood the message his friend tried to convey, he offered him another warm smile and said:" Don't let them. You have friends Cloud, you have Tifa and the kids.", Cloud looked at the ground.

"I lost them Zack.", the dark haired man shook his head and rested his hands on his friend's shoulder, he said:" If you continue this way, you will lose them.".

"They look at you as their father, Zack. Tifa, the kids, you…you all look like a family, like a _real_ family.", Zack narrowed his eyes and asked:" What _is_ a real family to you Cloud?", the blonde turned his head away in sudden anger.

Zack clasped his hand on his shoulder but Cloud shrugged it off, Zack said:" Cloud-", but his friend interrupted him harshly:" Everything went wrong! Tifa hates me! Marlene and Denzel hate me! You…you shouldn't even be back! You are supposed to be dead!",

Zack asked him:" Aren't you happy that I'm back?", Cloud's rage calmed slightly, he said:" Of course I am Zack it's just…", he looked Zack in the eye as he said:" They love you.",

The tall former SOLDIER challenged:" And what's so wrong if they do? They grew on me a lot too Cloud.", Cloud countered:" I knew them for longer, I knew Tifa since childhood.", Zack narrowed his eyes at that and asked:" So this is really about Tifa is it?",

Cloud remained silent, Zack could see his anger was rising again. The blonde warrior said:" Don't hold me for a fool Zack. I've seen the way you look at her, you risked your life yesterday against Kadaj and his brothers to protect Denzel. You would risk your life for Tifa too wouldn't you?",

Zack surprised Cloud by answering without hesitation:" In a heartbeat.", his tone was sure, unwavering. Cloud shook his head, Zack asked:" Cloud, what is it that's bothering you? That I would protect Tifa when she needs help and you aren't there?",

"No!", the blonde turned around to glare icily at Zack, he said:" Everything was alright before, but then you came and….you took them away from me.", Zack's patience drew the line there.

" _I_ took them away from you? Cloud, you _lost_ them by disappearing and not coming back home for _months_! I understand you are fighting against Geostigma and searching for a cure but Denzel is fighting bravely every day! He's spending his time with his family like he should! And I heard that you didn't _only_ spend your time on research.", Zack crossed his muscular arms at that.

Cloud glared at him and asked sternly:" And what's that supposed to mean?", Zack said coldly:" You were living in Aerith's church the whole time.", "How do you-",

"I was there!", Zack barked, "I was there to settle things with Aerith's spirit and saw your stuff there! The dirty bandages, the books, everything! You rather spend your unknown amount of time with a spirit than with your family here!", the tall man shook his head and whispered:" I thought I taught you better.",

His jaw ached and his head turned slightly.

He turned angry, blue eyes to Cloud who had just punched his jaw in anger. Cloud said with grit teeth:" I'm not a dog.", Zack couldn't help but bark:" You're right, dogs learn faster.", another punch aiming for his face, this time Zack stopped it with his hand.

He tightened his hand around Cloud's fist and pushed the man back, he said:" I won't fight you Cloud. Not over this. If you still want to work and help Tifa, that's fine by me. If you go again to Aerith's church then don't come back. You're only hurting them more.",

With that Zack turned around and headed towards the repair shop, leaving Cloud to stand there with his friend's words echoing in his mind.

 **Well, well, well looks like the two did clash horns after all! ;) Sorry if that was a bit…harsh ^^ I wanted to show Cloud's anger at Zack for the kids loving him so much and Tifa rejecting Cloud and accepting Zack. What do you guys think? :D**


	22. Through the Eyes of a Child

**T_T Heeeellloooo readers! :D As you probably read in the last chapter there was a lot of tension and rejection there so I decided to lighten the mood a bit. I'm very happy about the reviews and I want to thank everyone who's reading my stories and reviewing them!** **J** **(thumbs up)**

 **BTW: As the title suggests, this chapter will be centering around what Marlene and Denzel think of Zack and the months (let's say 5-6 months passed, maybe even longer) he has spent with them. Cloud will be also mentioned and of course our dear Tifa! ;)**

 ** _Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy and everything connected to it. I own the plot and my OC's!_**

 **Chapter 22: Through the Eyes of a Child**

When the legendary, thought-to-be deceased ex-SOLDIER First Class entered the Seventh Heaven, Marlene didn't want to believe it. She knew exactly who he was.

Zack Fair, former First Class SOLDIER, the man who died protecting Cloud and who tried stopping Sephiroth from burning down Nibelheim…etc.

How she knew all that? Well, since Cloud left them alone again Tifa talked more and more about Zack, even if he was dead. She had talked about Aerith too, but not as much as Zack.

Both Marlene and Denzel have listened to Tifa telling stories about him, but mostly Marlene stayed since Denzel always idolized Cloud so much. She loved Cloud too but she didn't really idolize him as much as Denzel did. In fact, she was starting to get more and more interested in that Zack character.

Tifa had shown Marlene a picture, the only picture the woman possessed, of Zack, Sephiroth and herself when she was fifteen years old. After Nibelheim burned down and Zangan had taken her in as his student, he had given her one day this picture, the only picture he had managed to save from the merciless fire that destroyed everything.

Tifa had at first been angry, not looking at the picture for months, but as time passed she retrieved it from the bottom of her closet and placed it on her desk, far from her bed. Back then, she spared it a few glances the whole day and tried ignoring it as much as it could, since it was a constant reminder of what she lost.

But then one day after a hard day's work at the bar, she looked at the picture. First she looked at her younger self, how innocent and naïve she had been back then, thinking the two SOLDIERS were there just for the inspection of the mako reactor. She looked at her thin, untrained arms, her skimpy outfit back then as a tour guide. It wasn't that she hated her past self, she only wished, like many other people, she could have done things better or different. But it was too late to change anything and so she didn't ponder on it too long.

Emotions of pure rage and hatred filled her when she saw Sephiroth, looking relatively normal without the bloodlust in his green eyes. She shook her head and quickly averted her eyes from him. And then she looked at _him_. Zack Fair. The man who spoke so highly of his friends and comrades, the man who spoke so surely of his dreams and honor. The man she said she hated because another one destroyed her family and village, at the same time those were her last words to him when he died protecting Cloud.

Marlene and Denzel didn't hear all the details of course, Tifa had left out the blood and gore. Despite them having gone through so much for their age, she didn't want to add to that by telling them the darker sides of war and the countless bloodbaths.

When Marlene had seen how happy Tifa became at seeing that Zack was actually alive, she knew she could trust him. She had seen how Tifa, her motherly figure, had hugged Zack tightly, like her mommy and daddy always used to do. She was smart for her age and quickly figured out that Zack was important to Tifa and vice versa. When she told him of the picture Tifa kept in her room, she suddenly got embarrassed and told Marlene to go upstairs and tell him that later. She didn't understand, what was so embarrassing of showing him a picture?

Denzel didn't like Zack at all. He was too friendly, too happy, too helpful and dedicated. What was he doing here anyway? He had heard the same stories Marlene had from Tifa, that the man was a former First Class SOLDIER and that he saved his hero Cloud from Shinra when they were hunting them down. He was very nice and helpful to Tifa, searching for jobs everywhere and helping her around the bar as much as he could. He also spent a lot of time with Marlene and him, though he was suspicious of him. Unlike Marlene, he refused to engage in conversations with him and act all friendly. He would be betraying Cloud that way.

He didn't understand why Cloud wasn't back, he knew he was out on deliveries but he had to come home sometime and eat right? Denzel was getting more depressed each day Cloud wasn't home, where was his hero? He knew Marlene and Tifa, especially Tifa, were missing him a lot too but the atmosphere changed drastically when Zack arrived.

The bar seemed to be livelier, Tifa was smiling far more often as was Marlene, he couldn't explain it himself. He found himself chuckling at Zack's attempts at making them laugh and play with them, but he always felt guilty for doing that, he felt like a traitor to Cloud.

And then Zack protected him. Denzel was angry that Zack had become something of a replacement for Cloud, he had heard him and Tifa talking about Zack doing the deliveries while Cloud was away and even living with them now. He was angry and ran away, out of Seventh Heaven and behind a trash container so Tifa couldn't find him.

But Zack did. How, Denzel didn't know. The former SOLDIER just sat beside the boy and didn't talk for a while, which made the boy even more confused. Denzel spoke first since he couldn't bear being silent for so long, he had asked him why he followed him. He didn't understand.

Zack again surprised the boy by saying he didn't want him "roaming the streets alone" and that he didn't know what kind of people were outside. Denzel wasn't impressed, he just retorted he knew how to defend himself. After all, he watched Cloud and Tifa fight countless of times. That's where the boy told him everything, also mentioning that Tifa had visited one time his "grave", the spot overlooking Midgar where he had died in battle. She had talked about him, which caused Denzel to think she was starting to like him instead of Cloud.

But then he started liking Zack after the man assured him he wasn't a replacement for his hero.

And then the months passed, almost half a year…

Denzel had noticed how happy Tifa was, Zack had been helping a lot with the bar, occasionally going on deliveries, working at Aaron's shop, even helping some citizens build small houses or garages. He had helped them a lot. Denzel had started to like him more and more, to the point where he started seeing Zack in a new light.

And that only intensified when Zack had saved him first from those weird men and then from those "remnants of Sephiroth" and the Shadow Creepers, he was a true hero. He had risked his life to save him, taking the deadly claws of the beast to his body, using himself to shield Denzel. He had accepted Zack fully into their family, as what, he still wasn't so sure himself but he knew he could trust him with his life.

Marlene had come to him once, asking him if he finally came to terms with Zack living with them. And Denzel only smiled at her and nodded, not willing to tell her just how much he came to adore and respect the man whom he viewed as a hero and a new addition to his family.

Marlene was happy that Denzel accepted Zack, she had long ago. Ever since Cloud left over a year ago, Marlene had been watching Zack and Tifa like a hawk. Their interactions, their behavior towards each-other. At first, Tifa had been cautious of Zack, not because she didn't trust him but because she…well didn't know him well. But now, it was as if they were best friends for years.

Marlene had to smile as she watched Zack help Tifa with cooking dinner, he playfully snatched some sauce and wiped it on her nose. The woman smirked and did the same to his cheeks, making him blink as her laughter echoed in the bar. The children giggled, they were a family.

A real family.

 **Finished! ^^ I'm very sorry for not updating for long! I had some difficulties writing the chapter, hope you guys forgive me! Please read and review, tell me how it is! Arigatou!**


	23. Revelation & Words of Comfort

**Hey dear readers! I've decided to update more quickly this time since I've been nothing but a snail the past week :P Enjoy!**

 ** _Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy and all its characters, I just own the plot and my OC's!_**

 **Chapter 23: Revelation & Words of Comfort**

* * *

Zack's mind was still on Cloud and their fight, all the while repairing a car with an oil leak. Aaron looked curiously at his young friend and asked:" Hey Zack, are you alright son? You seem deep in thought. Has something happened with Tifa and the kids?",

Zack snapped out of his thoughts and answered:" No, no. Don't worry, they're fine…", he narrowed his eyes as he applied more force to firmly turn the screw in place.

Aaron crossed his large arms and asked with a knowing look:" Then with Cloud?", bingo. Zack stiffened, for the briefest of moments, but Aaron noticed it and nodded his head in understanding. He said quietly:" I see….so he left again did he?",

Zack sighed heavily and shut the full hood of the car, it was finished. He cleaned his oil stained hand son a relatively clean cloth, moving in the back to grab the water bottle and take a large gulp of it. Aaron followed after him, he interrogated:" Why did he leave this time hm?",

"I don't know anymore, he's still searching for a cure...", just then Aaron noticed the weird, suspicious mark on Zack's face. It was red and slightly swollen, a punch, Aaron recognized it well. After all, the former truck driver had gotten into his fair share of fist fights.

"I'm assuming that punch was also part of finding the cure?", he glared disapprovingly, he didn't like how Zack kept defending him all the time. Of course, the blonde had his own problems to deal with, they all did, but Aaron didn't go picking fights with friends because of it.

Zack shook his head and said:" It was my fault. I hit a few sore spots and he got angry, it's understandable-", Aaron suddenly interrupted him sharply:" Oh really? So, abandoning Tifa and the children was also your fault Zack?", the old man's eyes were sharp and wise. Zack's lips drew in a thin line, his gaze travelling to the floor. He knew Aaron was right but…he didn't want to give up on Cloud.

"I don't want to give up on him Aaron, after everything we've been through…I refuse to just accept him like that. He has his reasons and I'm gonna find out how to cure him, not of Geostigma but from Sephiroth's claws.", the old mechanic nodded.

He looked at the setting sun and commented with a small smile:" You did good today, go home and rest up. And get that bruise treated will you? It'll turn a nasty blue if you don't at least put some ice on it.", he patted Zack's back gently before going to the back where the other mechanics were.

Zack smiled and said:" Thanks Aaron.", Aaron only waved at him from behind as Zack was heading towards home.

He was deep in thought, his hands uncharacteristically stuffed in his pockets. He was angry at Cloud, that much was true but he would never fight him without a good reason. Cloud was acting on his confused emotions, that's why he hit him.

Zack sighed heavily, looking up at the orange, red, yellow and slightly grey sky. Sunset. The end of a day…but not the end to their fight. Zack had been feeling guilty all this time, even though he knew he was right. Cloud left again, because of him. What would Tifa say? What would the kids say? They would surely hate him for making Cloud leave them again.

"Zack!", the man was startled out of his thoughts when he heard Tifa's voice calling him, he saw her running towards him. She stopped two steps away from him, panting softly. Had she run all the way here? To him? For what?

"Tifa, what…what are you doing here?", the woman smiled at him but the smile turned into a slight frown as she said:" Cloud left again…", Zack said not being able to look into her eyes:" he left because of-", Tifa suddenly cut him off:"-Me.", Zack's wide, blue eyes shot up to her face in shock. What?

Tifa said:" I…I heard your conversation by accident, after you left him I went to talk to him and put all the cards on the table.", she took a deep breath and said with determined wine eyes:" I told him to leave if he wanted to spend the rest of his days with Aerith. I told him if a memory meant more to him than his friends and family then he shouldn't come back. Ever.",

Zack was stunned. Did Tifa…did she really do that? She did, Zack could see it in her eyes. His fist clenched tightly, he said with grit teeth:" Tifa…", she stepped closer to him, standing in front of him now. She smiled warmly and caressed his bruising jaw, her eyes turning worried in an instant when his jaw tightened slightly in pain.

She was gently cupping both his cheeks now, Zack took a step back in surprise but Tifa took a step forward in response. She said:" Did Cloud do this to you?", he slowly moved his face away from her, her warm hands still holding it gently, tenderly. She said softly:" Zack, don't hide.".

He said in a much softer tone, still looking away:" It's nothing. I hit a nerve and he snapped, it happens.", he reluctantly turned his head to look at Tifa, she said:" You said the truth. He overreacted. That's what happened. He shouldn't have hit you.", she tenderly caressed the bruise, Zack looking at her in slight awe.

She smiled and said:" Come on, let me put some ice on it.", he slowly followed the woman towards her bar. He asked after a while:" What did you say to Cloud?", she slowed to a stop and said with his back to him:" The truth.", he pressed on:" Which is?", she paused for a long time and Zack almost thought she wouldn't answer him when she suddenly said in a quiet voice:" That my feelings for him vanished.",

She turned to look at Zack directly and said:" I told him he would always hold a place in my heart, he was my best friend from childhood after all and my first crush. I was hoping he would come back but I'm tired of it Zack. Just so tired…", she turned away from him again, hugging herself.

And then Zack saw Tifa's vulnerable side, not the strong and tough woman she always was, but the broken, hurt Tifa she was now.

Without thinking, he moved toward her and hugged her tightly from behind. He sighed deeply, resting his chin on top of her head, his strong arms holding her around her waist. She took a deep breath and for a minute, Zack was afraid he may have crossed an invisible line and she would push him away or hit him.

But she did the exact opposite. She leaned into him comfortably, resting her hands on top of his larger ones, squeezing tightly. She said after a while:" Thank you Zack…", he nodded into her hair, nuzzling her lightly, affectionately. He bet if Angeal saw him now, he would call him a typical puppy for nuzzling her like that, but he didn't care. She needed comfort and he was a cuddler.

Both didn't notice the time pass, until Zack noticed some suspicious-looking men pass by them slowly, eyeing the woman in his arms in particular with lustful eyes.

Zack growled deep in his throat, a warning. He tightened his muscular arms around Tifa protectively, pulling her closer to him. At the display, the men frowned and slowly backed away but their eyes remained on them. Zack didn't like that one bit.

He said gently:" Hey, we should get going.", he noticed with surprise that she was halfway asleep on him. He looked back at the men and glared at them, moving one hand to the hilt of his large sword. The men seemed to get the message, being quick to get out of Zack's sight.

Zack sighed in relief before he moved a hand on Tifa's back and placed a hand underneath her knees before he lifted her easily into his strong arms.

A soft breeze blew by and Tifa shivered lightly, unconsciously pressing herself against Zack and snuggling her face into his neck. Zack smiled, pulling her closer to him and walking towards Seventh Heaven. He kicked the door open lightly with his foot once he arrived in front of the door step. He adjusted Tifa in his arms and closed and locked the door, slowly walking upstairs. He lightly knocked on the door of the kids, Marlene opening it a few minutes later in her PJ's. She looked worriedly at Tifa but Zack sent her a reassuring smile and indicated that she was sleepy. Marlene nodded and smiled, Zack grinned and bent down lightly kissing her forehead. He whispered:" Tell Denzel good night from me. Sweet dreams Marlene.", the girl smiled and whispered back:" Good night Zack, sweet dreams.", disappearing in their room again.

Zack shook his head in amusement and carried Tifa into her room, pulling back the covers and gently laying her on top of it, he carefully took off her shoes and covered her with the blanket. He straightened again and took the moment to just look at Tifa's peaceful face.

He had long since accepted he found her attractive but not only that, he liked her for her strong and warm personality. She was strong, fierce, stubborn, protective yet kind, warm, understanding and patient.

He had loved Aerith, truly he had. But truth be told Zack had always hoped she would outgrow her past self, but as he had seen her spirit form, she was still the girl he knew back then. She still needed a hero to save her, she was strong as a Centra, no questions asked, but she didn't fight for herself. She always counted on himself back then or on Cloud saving her and protecting her.

He had seen the small scars covering Tifa's hands and on some places her arms as well, she had undergone hard training with Zangan but not only that she had survived on her own and protected all the people dear to her. She was also fighting for Cloud and for Marlene and Denzel.

But in one dark part of his mind, he didn't want that. He didn't want her to fight for Cloud, he could fight for himself. He wanted her to be selfish for once and just look out for her family, not the people that rejected her. He wanted her to be happy, to enjoy herself. He…

He couldn't bring to finish his selfish thought. Here he was musing about her having to be more selfish while he was the selfish one. He was genuine with his words about wanting her to be selfish but…at the same time, he wanted her for….himself.

What happened earlier outside, when those men watched Tifa with lustful eyes, Zack had reacted in an unusual manner. He wanted to show them she wasn't up for offering, at first it had been a protective streak and it still was but mixed with that feeling was also possessiveness. He didn't want to be possessive, she deserved to be free. But in that one dark corner of his mind…he wanted her to himself.

Zack shook his head, willing the thoughts away. He allowed himself that one pleasure though. He leaned down slowly and gently kissed her forehead, his sky blue eyes watching her with baited breath for a moment. Thankfully she remained sleeping soundly.

With that Zack straightened and with one last, warm gaze he quietly left her room and went downstairs to crash for the night.

Tifa slowly opened her eyes when she was sure Zack was gone. She slowly sat up in bed and touched her forehead, feeling the lingering heat on the spot which Zack had so softly kissed. The kiss itself was light, barely there but it was… _warm._

She had never kissed Cloud, but whenever their hands had at occasion touched he was almost always cold. Almost icily so.

Zack was the complete opposite. He was warm, burning even. While Cloud was the cold, merciless warrior Zack was the fiery, passionate one. Fighting with his heart.

Tifa sighed, biting her lips. She told Cloud today what she truly felt and she didn't regret it one bit.

* * *

 _Tifa watched with stunned eyes as Cloud punched Zack's jaw in rage, Cloud had told him harshly how he wasn't a dog. With Zack's retort that "dogs learned faster", Cloud had snapped and attempted to punch him again. But this time Zack caught his fist in his hand and Tifa's breath hitched in alarm, she wanted to intervene when she thought Zack would throw the next punch._

 _But it never came._

 _Zack only pushed Cloud away, the anger visible on his features. Zack had told Cloud clearly how he had two choices: staying or leaving. As Zack had left Cloud alone to ponder his words, Tifa had approached Cloud from behind._

 _"_ _Cloud.", she said softly._

 _The blonde man turned to her, the rage slowly dissipating from his eyes at seeing her. He said:" Tifa…", the woman frowned and said:" I…accidentally heard your conversation with Zack.", Cloud's fist clenched and Tifa narrowed her eyes._

 _He looked away in shame, Tifa said:" I just wanted to tell you something.", he hummed in acknowledgement. The woman took a deep breath and said:" I've…I've always liked you back then in Nibelheim. I viewed you as my hero and we made that promise that whenever I was in a pinch, you would come and save me.",_

 _Cloud's head slowly turned, his blue eyes softening at the memory. She said with a small smile:" I've held on to that promise. But after you left to join SOLDIER and after the incident with…Sephiroth, I trained under Zangan and grew stronger myself. I didn't want to depend on anyone anymore, because I realized I had to save myself and not wait for you to come and save me like a damsel in distress."_

 _Cloud said:" Tifa I-" she cut him off:" I was happy when you came back you know? After…Zack died…I was of course sad because of it, especially since my last words to him were "I hate you" but I was happy that my hero was back. But then…after Meteor hit you…you changed. You became cold, distanced, isolated… you didn't let anyone in anymore, not even me and the kids. And when you left for a year…I kept having hope that you would come back, that it was all a nightmare. But it wasn't and Zack made me realize that._

 _Don't blame Zack for this, you only have yourself to blame Cloud. You abandoned us when we needed you the most, I was left alone with Denzel and Marlene. It was hard, very hard but I managed when all our friends helped me. And then…I smiled for the first time in a year when Zack came back. He made me a lot happier Cloud and the kids too. They love him a lot and Zack seems to love them too. He risked his life to save Denzel and I believe him when he said he would risk his life for me and Marlene too.", Tifa looked at Cloud, a storm of emotions boiling inside him._

 _She took a step closer and said:" Because of this I…I don't want to see you here again Cloud.", at this the blonde's head snapped up to her in shock._

 _"_ _If you continue holding on to a memory and not help your family and friends then I don't want you in our lives. You only hurt us like this. You hurt me and the kids the most. I loved you Cloud, I really did but…I'm tired. I'm sick of waiting for you late at night and when I realized you wouldn't come I cried myself to sleep…I don't want to live like that anymore. Zack opened my eyes and he…",_

 _She smiled warmly as she said:" He's slowly healing my broken heart as well…and I think I could do the same for him…", she smiled at Cloud and said:" Goodbye Cloud, I hope you're happy with Aerith.",_

 _With those words and a great weight lifting off her shoulders she left her former love with a smile._

* * *

Her heart was feeling lighter now.

But she knew, it wasn't because of the dilly dally.

It was because of Zack Fair.

 **By the gods….I hope I managed to portray them right! Sorry if Zack and Tifa seem too OOC, I tried hard to write the chapter as good as possible. PLEASE review guys! I'm really curios about your opinions on this!**


	24. From His View but under His Control

**_Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy and EVERYTHING connected to it. I own the plot and my OC's!_**

 ** _IMPORTANT READ: I updated this chapter, it's a bit longer, with a little more text and drama ^^ Don't worry next chapter will definitely be longer and there will be some action involved. I will mention the kids and how they deal with the whole situation, as well as Tifa, Zack and AVALANCHE as a whole. Stay tuned! (waves)_**

* * *

 **Chapter 24: From His View but under _His_ Control**

After Cloud had listened as Tifa told him about her _real_ feelings, namely her feelings for _Zack_ , Cloud felt something from inside of him break. Or shatter, call it what you will.

The blonde man stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked away in the direction of Fenrir, his trusted ride. Cloud sighed heavily as he mounted Fenrir and put his goggles on, kicking the engine into gear and quickly driving away from Edge.

Once he was a good distance away, he slowed to a stop and dismounted Fenrir, removing his goggles as he ran his hand through his hair. He was at the cliff, the place where…Zack had risked his life to save him and almost died…his fist clenched. He looked up at the darkening sky, he didn't want to go back to the church, the same church which offered him sanctuary and comfort, only brought him uncomfortable feelings as he kicked a small pebble away. Tifa was right, Zack was right. He had two choices now, he always _had_ only two choices: Stay or go.

And Cloud had been hurting them by going and staying, coming back in the evening, maybe staying a few days and then leaving, again, in the dead of the night. But even if he did leave at ungodly hours, Tifa always saw him. She always stood in the bar, looking out at the window when he drove off again. Every time.

Cloud's fist clenched tightly as he could only imagine through what sort of pain he must have forced her to go through with him giving her empty promises of staying with them… promises of trying to be a _real_ family.

His family…

 _Family?_

Cloud's eyes widened, his body froze, his muscles stiff and a cold feeling crept up his spine. It was _him._

"Sephiroth…", Cloud growled, gripping the arm with Geostigma tightly in pain, in anger…

 _What's the matter, Cloud? Does it hurt?_

Cloud grit his teeth against the searing pain, fighting to not make a sound and give _him_ the satisfaction of seeing him in pain.

"What do you want? I told you to get out of my head!", Cloud snarled, gripping his pounding head tightly. Damn it!

 _Oh, this isn't about what I want Cloud, it's about what **you** want. A family you say? Consisting of what? A woman from your childhood and two orphans? One who suffers from Geostigma._

"I don't care! I'll find a cure and stop you from destroying the planet, at least I _have_ a family.", a sharp, mind numbing pain shot up Cloud's arm, directly to his head. He groaned, gripping his arm with bruising force.

 _Hm, I don't think so. What did dear Tifa say to you today? She **rejected** you. Because of what? Ah, that's right. Our dear, old friend returned from the dead, Zack._

Cloud growled deeply at the mention of Zack's name, the blonde could imagine Sephiroth's sneer at that.

 _Oh? Did I hit a nerve? Tifa rejected you because she found someone better, your best friend Zack. Because you decided to leave, Zack will watch after the orphans and take care of them and Tifa. It's **his** family now, not yours Cloud. You never had one._

"You killed my mother! You burned down Nibelheim! You killed Tifa's parents and made our life a living hell! I have a family, Zack would never-",

 _He wouldn't? Are you sure about that? As far as I saw today he cares deeply for the orphans **and** your precious Tifa. It seems his feelings are reciprocated and you are not wanted. Now that you won't ever return, Zack will use the opportunity to fully gain their trust. Perhaps even start a family of his own with Tifa hmm?_

Cloud snarled as he picked up his sword and cut a large boulder in half in his blind rage:" SHUT UP! Shut the hell up!", he panted, his arm throbbing in pain and his feelings spiraling out of control.

He had to control himself, he couldn't let Sephiroth take over his emotions like this. He trusted Zack, he trusted Tifa. They were his friends and would never betray them. But then…

 _If you don't believe me Cloud, did you ever ask yourself why Tifa kept that picture in her room at the day we arrived in Nibelheim for an investigation? Wouldn't it only bring her painful memories of the past? Why did she keep it? Certainly not because I was on it._

Cloud could imagine the dark smirk and frowned deeply, he knew about the picture but had never given it any thought. Until now. He shook his head, trying to block Sephiroth out of his thoughts. But it seemed the super SOLDIER wouldn't have any of it.

 _Zack and I were sent by Shinra to kill Angeal and Genesis, since they were considered traitors for defecting SOLDIER._

Cloud's eyes widened slightly, wait… _Angeal?_ He asked:" Wasn't Angeal Zack's mentor?",

 _He was. And one of my closest and only friends along with Genesis, for a long time we were the only First Classes among SOLDIER and were well known for our battle prowess. Then Angeal decided to take Zack under his wing and train him to become strong. It was that time that they found out about Jenova and Project G._

"Project G?", Cloud asked suspiciously, why did the name seem familiar?

 _Project Gillian, a failed experiment of creating a human with the powers of a Cetra. Hollander, while he was still working for Shinra, tried to surpass Hojo by successfully injecting Jenova cells in Gillian, Angeal's mother. When she became pregnant she gave birth to Angeal, who was able to pass on his abilities to humans and monsters alike without suffering from degradation like Genesis did, in other words he was the perfect specimen. Genesis suffered greatly because of it, unlike Angeal, he suffered from degradation just like his copies. Hollander had hoped to find the cure for it with the help of Gillian but she refused to tell them anything and committed suicide._

Cloud couldn't believe it, had Zack known about this? Injecting Jenova cells into Angeal's mother? Why did SOLDIER even do that? Why conduct experiments like this when they had a Cetra at their disposal?

"Weren't you all friends? Instead of helping them you decided that your SOLDIER status was more important?", Cloud knew he hit a nerve and he was aiming for it.

 _Hm, aren't you the same Cloud? Isolating yourself, supposedly searching for a cure for the orphan you have at home, while entertaining yourself with the deceased Cetra?_

Cloud growled, his sword quivering in his grasp as he snarled:" Shut up! We are nothing alike Sephiroth! You _killed_ your comrades, I'm trying to save them! I'm searching for a cure and I will find it!",

 _Are you certain, Cloud? You've been searching for a year and haven't found it yet. While you're here, infuriated with yourself, Zack is taking care of Tifa and the orphans. Doing a better job than you ever did. He has grown close to them, closer than you may think. His feelings for the Cetra are in the past, he has moved on. The question is: have you?_

"Why are you telling me all this Sephiroth? It's none of your business! And I trust Zack, he's my friend he would never betray me!", his fists clenched in suppressed anger.

 _Zack always wanted to become a hero, a First Class SOLDIER like Angeal was, honorable, following his dreams…etc. However, after the death of his precious mentor and father-figure the guilt remained in his heart. He "died" while protecting you from Shinra, after escaping Hojo's lab. Don't you think he would be angry at you Cloud? Angry for putting him through such pain and misery?_

Cloud shook his head, dropping his sword on the ground. He took a few steps backwards as he said with haunted eyes:" No! You're lying! You're trying to trick me Sephiroth! Zack isn't like that at all! He willingly protected me and saved me! He-",

 _He wants to enact revenge Cloud. Revenge for making him suffer, for losing his mentor, his late love and for killing him. What better way than steal your family from you? And your woman?_

Rage filled Cloud as he fought against Sephiroth's restrains, he couldn't break free of his control! It was painful, Sephiroth messing around with his head and causing his Geostigma to throb in pain.

No….Zack would never do that. He was honorable, he understood him, he was the one who sacrificed himself to save his sorry ass. He wasn't a bad person at all, he would never do such things….right? He wouldn't steal Tifa from him…

Cloud started to doubt himself, doubt Zack, Tifa, AVALANCHE…was it all an illusion?

An illusion of his family? Were the days he used to live with Tifa and the kids in Seventh Heaven all an illusion? A wonderful dream? Or a horrible nightmare? Was Sephiroth right?

 _Yes, that's right. I can feel your anger…your anger towards Zack…he stole your family from you Cloud, shouldn't you do something? But first you will have to get rid of him…_

"Get rid of him…", Cloud's haunted, hollow blue eyes traveled to his sword on the ground, imagining blood on it. Zack's blood…

He shook his head frantically shouting:" No! Stop messing with me! I would never hurt Zack! He's my best friend he-",

 _He's a traitor Cloud! A filthy, arrogant traitor! Traitors have no honor or dreams! Traitors deserve to die a painful death! Traitors Cloud…are killed._

"Killed…traitors…Zack, he…betrayed me…", Cloud almost robotically grabbed his sword and placed it on his back, three figures suddenly appearing behind him on motorcycles.

"Big brother has finally joined the good side, did he?", Kadaj grinned as he patted Cloud's shoulder. The man didn't react, his eyes hollow, his movements not his own.

"What do you propose we do, big brother?", Loz asked curiously, eyeing Cloud with suspicion.

"Why Loz, we will visit the man who betrayed our brother and get us our dear Mother back! Won't we Cloud?", Kadaj sneered, a unsettling grin appearing on his face.

"Traitor…Zack…", Cloud mumbled, mounting Fenrir and following his "brothers" in the opposite direction of Edge. They still had to do something before their big brother could get his revenge.

* * *

 **(sweat drop) (bows many times over) I'm so sorry for the VERY late update! . Well…in my defense…life gets in the way :P I know it's pretty short, I wanted to write more (and I'll maybe update the chapter too) but for now that's that! Thank you all for reading and especially thank you for reviewing! Tell me what you think!** **J**


	25. Lycana and Tifa

**_Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot and OC's! Square Enix owns FF!_**

 **Chapter 25: Lycana and Tifa**

* * *

Zack was polishing the black beauty in the garage just as Tifa entered in order to give him something to drink, today was a rough day and she figured he needed some alone time after the fight with Cloud.

She kept trying to tell herself it was just a fight, that Cloud would change his mind and come back but then she hardened her resolve. She had been hurting enough, it was time to protect the world and enjoy the time spent with her family and friends, with or without Cloud.

"Hey there, thirsty?", she asked as she bent down to hand him the drink, he looked up at her and stood up to his full height, gratefully taking the glass from her and thanking her before downing it all.

Tifa looked at the polished motorcycle and thoughtfully held a finger to her chin, she asked:" Have you named it Zack?", the former SOLDIER looked at her confused before following her gaze to his bike. He scratched the back of his neck and said:" Oh, no I didn't, I guess. I don't know what though…",

Tifa walked around the motorcycle a couple of times, watching it from every angle. She asked:" So it's a female?", Zack nodded, shrugging. She bit her lip and asked:" Let's start with this – what does it present for you? What do you want to use it for?",

Zack didn't need long to think as he answered only seconds later:" It represents strength, my honor and dreams. Since I'm doing deliveries with it, it also supplies us and helps us, I like to think of it as "loyal" even if it is an inanimate object. I…want to protect those close to me and reach them in time to save them.", he looked at her briefly as he said this, thankfully her gaze remained on the bike.

She contemplated everything he just told her, she suggested after several minutes:" Hmm… strength, loyalty, family, pride…how about a wolf?", Zack's eyebrows rose, but he wasn't opposed to the idea.

"I like the name Lycana.", Tifa suggested, gently gliding her fingers over the gleaming black metal. Zack smiled, his muscular arms crossed as he tested the name. It rolled off the tongue easily…yeah.

"Lycana….yeah…has a nice ring to it.", he sent her a bright smile and Tifa couldn't help but smile back. She said as she looked at Zack:" You know, if Cloud is a lone wolf, you would be the family kind. The wolf leading the pack.",

Zack held up a hand and said:" Really? I'm not sure, I…never really considered myself a lone wolf. And I want a family someday.", Tifa added with a smile:" Wolves are social animals, they live together and help each-other. You know, that time when you protected Denzel from those drunks when he ran away, you reminded me of a wolf protecting it's cub from their enemies. You were so protective of him.", a warm smile made its way to her face.

The man chuckled and said:" Of course! He's just a kid despite everything."

Tifa said while looking at the ground:" And…he needs someone that's there for him…", she bit her lip as she said that. Zack suddenly stood in front of her, his glass on the desk behind him as he grasped Tifa's shoulders and made her look up at him in surprise.

"Tifa…", he sighed and said:" It will be alright, everything will work out you will see. Cloud will come around and if he needs longer then I will drag him back here and make him realize just how lucky he is.", he smiled softly down at her.

Tifa gripped his forearms as she said:" Zack…please…I know you're feeling guilty but there really isn't any reason to, honestly. Cloud has tried my patience time and time again, he's only hurting me and the kids more by his constant disappearing. And about Aerith…I'm not upset about that.", Zack rose an eyebrow, he asked:" You're…not?",

She shook her head and smiled, she answered evenly:" No…I'm sad she isn't here anymore that she can enjoy her time with Cloud properly but…I guess it can't be helped. I'm just sad that…that…", she didn't want to say it, didn't need to say it, it seemed.

She was pulled into a strong, warm chest, warm arms encircled her wholly as Zack lightly rested his chin on her head, breathing evenly, the strong beat of his heart calming Tifa's nerves slightly. She gripped his middle tightly, seeking comfort in his embrace. He whispered:" I know Tifa, I know. I…I'm sorry I was unable to do anything, but I will promise you this alright?", Tifa listened intently as Zack started talking.

"I will do anything, no matter what, to protect you, Marlene and Denzel. If the Remnants will come back, _I_ will take care of them, not because I don't trust you in a fight but because in case anything happens, there are two children waiting here that need someone to look after them.", Tifa's grip tightened as her voice rose:" Don't say that Zack! I understand what you're saying but I will fight by your side, I know that if we do this together we can beat them! Beat Sephiroth! We will return to Seventh Heaven _together_.",

She buried her face in his chest as she whispered:" Please…don't leave like Cloud left…", and Zack knew she wasn't talking about now.

She was talking about when he left for SOLDIER, promising her everything would be fine and that he would save her whenever she was in a pinch. But he always came too late.

But Zack would make sure, _he_ won't come too late. Because, even if it was just a second, it can save a life. Zack knew that very well, if he had arrived a few minutes earlier at the mako reactor in Nibelheim, he could have prevented Sephiroth from injuring Tifa, could have stopped him. He could have prevented Cloud from getting stabbed and used as Hojo's lab rat…but he didn't.

His grip on Tifa's hair tightened, but not enough to hurt, just enough to feel she was near him, seeking comfort from _her_. She sighed heavily and pulled him close, listening to his heartbeat. Zack whispered with his resolve strengthened by Tifa's words:" I promise you, I won't let you down. If you're ever in a pinch, just call me. I'll be there.",

And Tifa knew, she just _knew_ he meant it.

If she called his name, he would be there in that same second. He would save her and this time…he wouldn't come too late.

After all, he wasn't Cloud.

He was Zack and Tifa only hugged him tighter when she let her emotions rush through her.

Zack was here, there was nothing to fear if he was here and alive and breathing. And promising her things she knew he would never break, even if his life depended on it. He just wasn't that type of man…

As she took comfort in his shared warmth, she couldn't help but envision a different outcome.

Instead of Cloud standing in the picture with her, Marlene and Denzel…what would have happened if it were Zack?

Tifa shook her head lightly and thought about Denzel, Marlene, AVALANCHE, Sephiroth…

And Zack.

* * *

 **Done…I know, it's really short, I may update it later or tomorrow! I'm sorry guys, life getting in the way . Please review and tell me what you think so far! And feel free to suggest anything in order to improve the story or writing!**


	26. A Wild Road Chase

**_Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy (all games, characters, animes…etc.) I just own the plot!_**

 **Chapter 26: A Wild Road Chase**

* * *

Zack sat himself on Lycana, his bike, and took the slip of paper which Tifa handed to him. Time to go grocery shopping!

He read the list and rose an eyebrow as he asked:" What? No sweets?", he sent her a devilish grin as she shoved his shoulder and said with a wave of her finger:" Zack, we already _have_ enough sweets. You will just have to share with Marlene and Denzel!",

His blue eyes widened comically as he complained:" But I don't wanna! Denzel keeps a secret stash in his room somewhere, trust me I _looked_ , and Marlene keeps eating those Choccobo chocolate sticks I like so much!", Tifa giggled and shook her head in amusement, Zack turned serious as he nodded and pocketed the grocery list.

He started the engine as he said:" I'll be back soon alright? I'll call if something happens.", he smiled as Tifa said:" Alright, be careful Zack.", with that he drove out of the garage and into the open, heading a little away from Edge into a small village where he knew there was good and not too expensive food to buy.

He enjoyed the wind from the early morning caressing his face, the weather was nicer today than on all other days, Zack noted. He mentally calculated how much time he would need to arrive at his destination, find the right ingredients and return home.

 _Home…_

He smiled fondly when images of Tifa, Marlene, Denzel and even AVALANCHE popped into his mind at the word. It seemed like he finally found a place he would call "home". He frowned when he thought of Cloud and sighed heavily.

When will his friend realize he also had a home at Seventh Heaven? Zack was still angry at Cloud's outburst though. He shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he saw something in the distance.

What the-?

Zack narrowly dodged a magic bullet aiming for him, his bike leaning onto the side heavily as he steadied it back upright, his muscles bulging from the slight strain. He saw three figures on motorcycles approaching him.

 _The remnants!_

Zack unsheathed his Buster sword and deflected the bullets aiming his way, he glared at them as they came closer and Kadaj immediately locked swords with him. He grinned as he asked mockingly:" Tell us SOLDIER, where is Mother?", Zack growled and pushed him away, narrowly dodging Loz's punch.

He snarled:" I told you I don't know!", he balanced himself with his hands against the seat and kicked Yazoo away, who kept shooting at him from all angles. Loz shouted:" Brother!", he glared at the former SOLDIER and jumped up from his motorcycle, aiming an electrifying punch at Zack.

The former SOLDIER First Class sharply turned his bike around and knocked Loz down with the hilt of his sword, simultaneously parrying Kadaj's katana from behind him.

Hell, he hasn't been First Class for nothing if he couldn't beat some more powerful enemies, however things complicated themselves when he was face to face and sword to sword with spiky, blonde hair.

"Cloud?!", Zack's blue eyes were wide in disbelief as they stared at Cloud's _green_ , _silted_ eyes.

 _Sephiroth's eyes…_ Zack shook his head and pushed against Cloud's equally large sword as their bikes fought for control. Zack asked:" Why the hell are you with them?! What happened to your eyes?!", he knew Sephiroth had a hand in this, but how? He wasn't even _alive_ , at least his body wasn't.

Cloud answered him almost robotically:" You….traitor…kill traitors.", Cloud again made a powerful downward slash as Zack blocked it with his sword and sped up his bike, making them break away. He steadied the bike and said:" What?! Why am I a traitor?!",

But Cloud didn't answer him. The blonde lunged for him again, Zack thought quickly on his feet and decided to head to the road. That way sand wouldn't get into his eyes and he had a better chance at defeating them.

He pushed Lycana to her limits, he quickly took out his phone and called Reno and Rude.

" _Yo?",_ Reno's voice rang out lazily through the phone.

"Oi! I need you guys to give me some back up! The remnants are here! With Cloud!",

It seemed _that_ fully alarmed the pilot as Reno said alerted on the other line:" _Wait, what?! Strife?! What the hell is he doing there!?",_

"How should _I_ know?! He almost gave me a haircut with his sword! His eyes are green and silted, I suspect Sephiroth has something to do with this! You need to get here as soon as possible and take care of the remnants while I fight Cloud!", he hung up as he dodged another swing of Cloud's sword.

Zack sped up and expertly dodged some cars, finally driving on a completely deserted part of the road where no casualties could be made. Good. Now he could let loose a little.

Zack sharply drifted his bike around until once again his sword collided against Cloud's, keeping the two men in a stalemate. Zack shouted:" Cloud! Snap out of it buddy! It's not you!", he grunted as Cloud slashed at him again, as if he didn't hear him at all.

Zack moved his body around to dodge another swing and cursed, he tried again:" Cloud! Fight for control! I know you're in there country boy! Remember our backwater villages? Remember our times in SOLDIER together? You have to remember! We always went together on missions!", his eyes turned briefly to the beautiful, bright blue Zack knew so well, but they quickly reverted back to green as he growled and tried severing Zack's head.

Ok…Plan B.

"Hey! Come on man don't let Sephiroth control you! You're stronger than this, stronger than him! I believe in you Cloud, you're just having a tough time but we will beat it together! We will beat Geostigma, we will beat Sephiroth! _Together!_ We are brothers Cloud!", Zack pushed Cloud away roughly, gaining some distance between them while stabilizing their rides.

"Z-Zack?", Cloud's soft, confused voice broke threw his hazy mind. He did it! Hell yeah!

But suddenly Cloud's blue eyes changed back to green, menacing slits. "I don't think so SOLDIER boy.", Kadaj drove near Cloud, aiming towards Zack with his sword.

" _Hell! I just got him back! Why can't Sephiroth die in peace and leave us alone?!",_ Zack glared at Kadaj as he deflected a blow from his katana and tried avoiding being sliced to ribbons by Cloud's sword. However, the situation worsened when the compartments on either side of Fenrir suddenly opened.

Cloud now carried _two_ swords, the larger one in his left with the main blade in his right. _Joy_.

Zack firmly planted his foot against Kadaj's motorcycle and with all his might, he pushed him away, causing the bike to swirl out of control. _"Guess all those squats paid off after all",_ Zack thought with a smirk before concentrating on the battle again.

Kadaj cursed loudly as Cloud moved in to attack Zack, thankfully the former SOLDIER knew how to fight against a two handed opponent with only one sword himself.

As he parried each blow from Cloud, his phone rang. Zack couldn't curse his luck more, Tifa was probably calling him to ask why it was taking him so long.

He badly wanted to answer it, to keep his promise to Tifa about always answering the phone, quenching the demons that kept gnawing at the corners of her mind and instilling that deep seated fear within her of Cloud never answering her calls.

Zack roughly punched Cloud in the jaw, silently muttering a apology, as he knocked the side blade out of Cloud's grasp. Zack turned Lycana around and sped forward, gaining enough distance to quickly answer the phone. Honor can be such a burden at times.

"Yo, Teef! What's up?", he tried to sound calm and cheerful and not like a panting dog.

But she was far too perceptive for his liking, " _Zack? Why are you so out of breath? Where are you? You're gone for a long time.",_ Tifa's worried voice caused his gut to clench uncomfortably as he lied:" Uh, I'm sorry really. You know, I'm not the best with ingredients and spices and all that stuff so it's gonna take a while. I'll come home soon alright?",

He sincerely hoped she didn't suspect anything and he was off the hook.

Lady Luck sometimes really hated him. " _Something's wrong. You know how to cook, you **know** how to pick the right ingredients. What are you hiding Fair?",_ either he was bad at lying or Tifa was really too perceptive. Or both.

Before he could issue a reply, his body tensed as he blocked a frontal assault by Cloud with his sword, undoubtedly causing a loud sound of metal against metal.

" _Zack! Are those sounds of swords? Are you fighting? What's happening?",_ Tifa's worry level grew several stages as she questioned him frantically.

Zack grunted as he pushed Cloud away and said:" Now's not the time. I'll talk to you later, don't worry! Bye Tifa!", he quickly hung up. He was so _whipped_ when he returned.

Thankfully he heard missiles being fired behind him, usually that would have caused Zack to start running like crazy but now it was strangely comforting.

"Fair! Dodge right!", Zack quickly moved out of the line of fire as Rude fired a missile at Kadaj, narrowly missing the remnant.

Zack grinned and shouted:" What took you so long?!", Reno shouted back from the helicopter:" I still had to fix my make-up spiky! Can't go out looking like a zombie!", the black haired male shook his head and engaged Cloud in a one-on-one battle.

"Cloud! Listen to me man Tifa and the kids are waiting for you to come back! Please! If you let Sephiroth take control he will _hurt_ them Cloud! Cloud!", Cloud's eyes were flickering back and forth between blue and green.

And Zack suddenly realized why it was so hard for Cloud to regain control over his mind.

Kadaj.

Kadaj carried Sephiroth's cells inside of him, therefore it strengthened Sephiroth's control over Cloud's mind whenever one of the remnants were near him! He had to get rid of Kadaj first!

"Reno, Rude! Blast Kadaj away!", the silver haired male glared in Zack's direction before he tried closing in on them upon seeing Cloud trying to regain control over himself. But thankfully, no such luck.

With a well aimed shot, the missile hit Kadaj's bike and caused him to fly off it in the midst of the explosion, Zack hoped that hurt.

He was relieved beyond belief when Cloud's eyes returned to normal and he slowed Fenrir to a stop, his sword on his back again as Zack did the same.

"Z-Zack? What…", he looked at his hands and gripped his head, groaning in pain. "Hey, it's ok man. You're alright now.", the older man tried to comfort him by placing his hand on his shoulder but the sudden movement away from him caused Zack to blink in surprise.

"He was right.", Cloud said slowly, his head lifting up only for baby blues to glare into sky blues. ….What?

"Cloud, what are you-", Zack yelped as he ducked away from a punch aiming at his face. "Sephiroth was right! You took my family away from me Zack! You took Denzel and Marlene away! You took _Tifa_ away from me!", Zack found himself wrestling on the concrete with Cloud, trying to calm the younger male.

Zack had no choice but to use force as he pinned Cloud down and said angrily:" What the hell is your problem?! Tifa and I am worrying day and night over you and Marlene and Denzel _cry_ over you and what do you do?! You believe some stupid fairy tales from a man that destroyed your village!", he shook Cloud forcefully as Zack said:" Get a grip Cloud!",

The blonde narrowed his eyes venomously at Zack, trying to pry him away from himself. But Zack was stronger, he held him down as he said:" No you don't! Listen! I gave you a second chance, Tifa gave you _thousands_ of them! Why can't you go home to your family Cloud?!",

The sudden broken and sad tone in Cloud's voice froze Zack on the spot:" Because I don't _have_ one anymore Zack! Tifa rejected me! Marlene and Denzel don't even look at me! Barret sent me to hell already! You have a family Zack, _you_ do! I've seen the way you spend time with Marlene and Denzel, you play with them and teach them things. When was the last time I did any of it?! I see the way Tifa looks at you! She used to look at me that way in Nibelheim but I was too stupid to notice!",

He paused briefly before he said:" I see the way you look at _her_ , Zack. Like you would-", Zack finished without thought:" – die for her in a heartbeat and not regret it.", he finally said it.

Cloud froze, looking up at Zack's serious face. The words came almost automatically but he didn't regret saying them. Not one bit.

He let Cloud stand up, he watched him mount Fenrir again. Cloud said lowly:" Give me time. I need to sleep over this.", without another word, Cloud raced back in the opposite direction.

Zack frowned deeply, running a hand through his spiky, black hair. He didn't even notice the helicopter right behind him as Reno whistled loudly and said:" That was tough yo.",

Zack turned around and sent the redhead a glare that might as well burned him alive. He sighed heavily and mounted Lycana, driving in the opposite direction from where Cloud went.

Reno and Rude looked at each-other as Rude asked:" Now what?", Reno sighed heavily and said:" What do you mean "now what"? I woke up to blast the bad guys away, now that I did I'm goin' back to sleep!", Rude sighed as he leaned back in his seat and allowed Reno to fly back home.

* * *

It was early afternoon when Zack arrived home, carrying many grocery bags in his arms. He grinned sheepishly when he saw Tifa standing behind the counter with crossed arms and a patronizing look on her face, if looks could kill…

"Um…I bought Choccobo eggs?", Zack tried to lighten the mood, but he only made it worse.

"Tell me what happened.", she took a step closer and said:" Now.", it was a command and well like he suspected…he would be whipped.

"I can explain…", Tifa said with a glare:" I'm waiting.", Zack sighed as he set the bags aside, they could wait.

He leaned against the wall as he said:" I…I had a run-in with the remnants.", Tifa's gaze immediately turned to concern and she surprised Zack by suddenly shouting in his ear:" You fought them with your wounds?! ARE YOU INSANE?!", his ears were ringing.

Before he could say anything Tifa suddenly commanded:" Take off your shirt.", Zack's mind turned into a one track road as he briefly thought of the meaning of her words, in a way that was definitely not considered appropriate by any means. She sighed in exasperation as a blush formed on her cheeks, "t-to examine your wounds idiot!", he grumbled something under his breath as he lifted his slightly torn shirt over his torso.

Tifa sighed heavily as she saw large, red spots tainting the previously white bandages. She sent him a murderous glare as she went upstairs to get the medical kit. She said:" Lay down on the sofa, I'll be right back.",

Zack hung his head down like a scolded pup and laid down as he was told, finally feeling the immense pain shooting through his body. Damn…

His blue eyes widened as he saw Tifa with the medic kit in hand, oh oh.

He asked hesitantly:" Tifa?", the woman had a weird glint in her eyes as she approached him with the blasted aid kit. He was in for a world of pain, he knew. He didn't know he was in for another surprise though…

* * *

 **Cliffhanger! Hehe….I hope you liked it so far, I'm really sorry for not updating in a long while (minor writers block .) yes I know its mean for me to publish a new chapter after so long with a damn _cliffhanger_ but…I am in the mood to be mean :P Please review! :D**


	27. Of monsters and humans

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy! Square Enix owns everything! I just own the plot and my OC's!_**

 **Chapter 27: Of monsters and humans**

* * *

 _"_ _God damn it!",_ Zack mentally shouted in his head as his abdomen and chest hurt like a thousand swords were running through his flesh. It was…unbearable.

"Oh come on Zack! It's not so bad!", Tifa almost snickered as she cleaned his wounds with a cloth, sprayed with disinfectant. That must have hurt _bad_.

Zack practically hollered:" NOT SO BAD?! NOT SO BAD?! I FEEL LIKE A THOUSAND HOT BLADES ARE RIPPING ME FROM THE INSIDE OUT!", he growled at the stinging that followed as Tifa wiped away the sweat, dirt and blood from him.

When he heard her amused giggle he lifted one of his hands from his face as he said:" ….You're enjoying this aren't you?", he sent her a glare. She covered her smile behind her hand as she asked innocently:" Whatever do you mean?", oh that woman. He hissed when he had to turn around and swallowed thickly as he felt Tifa settle herself over him, her trained legs on either side of his hips. He quickly tried thinking of motorcycles and machines.

Tifa shifted atop of him and he hid his face against his muscular arms, well damn.

" _Never thought I would have a woman sitting atop me in_ _ **this**_ _situation._ ", he grumbled as the disinfectant stung his wounds. He could feel Tifa's gentle weight against his waist, it was slightly distracting him from the pain. But only so much.

Marlene came running downstairs as she asked worriedly:" Tifa! I heard Zack screaming! What's wrong? Is he hurt?", Tifa covered the deep gashes and the more serious wounds with the cloth so Marlene didn't get any nightmares from the images.

She smiled and said:" Yes and he was being a big idiot again and fighting instead of resting.", she sent Zack a disapproving glare, he sunk a little further in the sofa. He was thankful she couldn't physically harm him now, at least with his wounds…

"Ouch!", he yelped in pain as Tifa swatted his injured back, though not as hard as he knew her punches could be. She could break _tables_ and transform stone to dust in _one punch_ with them so he was thankful she didn't use that monstrous strength on him…yet.

He forced a large grin as he said:" Hey Marlene! Don't worry I'm fi-ah AH! OUCH!", he sharply turned his head around as he looked over his shoulder, Tifa wore a devilish grin as she settled the bowl of _ice cream_ on his _back_. On his cuts!

He sighed heavily, he used to be First Class…now he was at the mercy of a woman eating ice cream and holding a disinfectant bottle in her hands…how the mighty have fallen…

Marlene giggled and said:" Alright then. Have fun Tifa!", Zack's eyes widened in shock as his jaw practically dropped to the floor at Marlene's words. _What?!_

Tifa answered cheerfully:" Thank you sweetie!", and continued eating her ice cream atop him, Zack growled.

He asked:" Oi! Why am I being used as a chair? And you're eating _ice cream_ on _my_ injured body!", he realized the child was just as devilish as her adoptive mother…a mini-Tifa indeed… He almost jumped when Tifa placed her cool hands on his bandaged wounds, slightly numbing the pain.

"Better?", Tifa asked softly and then Zack realized what _else_ was in the bowl. _Ice!_

" _Was she planning this all along? Placing ice on the bandages to numb the pain?",_ Zack thought in bewilderment.

Zack quickly nodded and whispered:" Y-yeah…", Tifa nodded and dunk her hands in the bowl of ice, before she traced them on his bandages again, creating a very welcoming cooling effect. Zack bit his lip and said softly:" You don't have to do this you know…",

"I want to, I'm sorry if I seemed a little harsh earlier, I was just really worried. You were fighting _three_ skilled fighters along with _Cloud_ , in your condition. I was angry at myself because I was stuck here and not being able to help you at all.", Zack felt a large wave of guilt hit him at her words.

He said trying to lighten her burden:" Hey, don't worry about it. I called Reno and Rude for backup and Cloud regained his senses at the end. Besides, I used to be First Class in SOLDIER, I went through difficult training in order to fight stronger opponents.", Tifa sighed heavily as her hands stilled and she said:" I know Zack but…it doesn't change the fact that I was worried. Even First Classes are human.",

 _SOLDIER doesn't mean monster… SOLDIER is like a den of monsters…don't go inside._

 _We are monsters…we have neither dreams nor honor…_

 _We're not monsters you hear me? We're SOLDIER!_

"Zack?", Tifa soft voice ripped Zack from his thoughts, he smiled at her reassuringly and said:" Sorry…just got lost in thoughts.", he rested his head on his arms. He almost jumped again when Tifa's _warm_ hands caressed his back gently and that calmed Zack's raging storm of emotions inside of him.

He whispered quietly while clenching his fist:" SOLDIER is like a den of monsters…don't go inside.", he found himself saying aloud as all the flashbacks of working for SOLDIER resurfaced in his scarred mind.

"Dilly dally, shilly shally.", Zack perked up at the familiar phrase, he strained to look Tifa in the eyes from his position.

She smiled a warm, understanding smile as she said:" Even if SOLDIER was like a den of monsters, not everyone in that den were monsters. Some were angels who sought after chaos, others were demons who sought after peace. But they were all the same: human. Humans have ugly sides too and sometimes our sins make us appear like monsters but it's those sins that shape us into who we are and allow us to live a better life than we used to."

Zack was speechless, stunned to silence. He couldn't believe how _true_ her words rang in his hears and maybe….just maybe…she was right.

He took a deep breath and flipped himself back on his back, ignoring the pain as Tifa yelped and almost fell over if it weren't for the strong hands holding onto her shoulders tightly. She froze as Zack moved himself to a sitting position and hugged her, like a demon soughing after peace.

He sighed and whispered:" I've done a lot of things I've regretted in the past…I left my parents in Gongaga instead of helping them in old age, I didn't destroy the reactor that killed my village, I didn't realize what Shinra was after sooner and stopped them, didn't help Angeal and Genesis find their peace, didn't prevent Sephiroth from burning down Nibelheim and killing innocent people, hell I couldn't even manage to save my friend from Shinra's corrupt ways…", his arms tightened around her at the images flooding his mind.

Tifa recovered from her shock and embraced Zack tightly, trying to offer comfort to the broken man in front of her. She whispered in his ear:" Zack…you were powerless to stop all those things. You only hurt yourself when you're asking yourself what could have happened if you did anything different…it's ok to swim in memories every once and a while but… everything will turn out fine in the end.",

"How do you know it will?", Zack's voice was broken but not defeated, he was scarred but not dead.

"Because my prayers were answered when I prayed that someone will come to help Cloud find his way again…and then one day you stood at the door to my bar…", Zack's hand gently stroked her hair as he chuckled softly and said:" I guess…",

Both adults stayed silent for a while, taking comfort in each-other's warmth and the fact that both were healing each-others wounds, physically and emotionally.

However when the time for memories stopped, and both returned back down to earth, Tifa's face resembled wild cherries. She quickly disentangled herself from Zack and moved off his lap, excusing herself:" I-I still have s-some dishes to wash! Oh and I need to bring the kids to bed! And I still need to check our inventory-". Tifa's words faded as she briskly left Zack alone in the living room.

The former SOLDIER felt a wave of embarrassment hit him as well but he coughed uncomfortably in his hand and shook his head wildly, tentavly touching the bandages that Tifa so carefully applied to him. He smiled softly, thinking of Tifa. It would be difficult, but he vowed to himself that he would try. For both their sake.

* * *

Cloud watched Zack as he pulled on a shirt slowly and ducked under the window when the former SOLDIER made his way upstairs.

He saw everything…from the moment Zack entered to their…intimate embrace a few moments prior…and he had no idea how to feel.

Cloud rubbed his eyes, a frustrated groan escaping him. He couldn't deny his feelings for Aerith but he also couldn't ignore the lingering feelings of affection for Tifa either.

Maybe it was all in his head and he was just seeing her as family? He shook his head at the absurd idea, then why would he feel those pangs of jealousy whenever Zack was near her? He couldn't explain it himself.

 _I see the lost wolf found its way back home…_

Sephiroth's voice taunted him as Cloud growled and wished that he could punch the SOLDIER in the face. He cautiously stood up and quietly moved away from Seventh Heaven, back to Fenrir a few feet away hidden behind a house.

Cloud mumbled:" I don't have a home…", a dark chuckle sounded in his head.

 _Whatever the case, it seems the display of affection between the barmaid and Zack has conflicted you._

Cloud barked dryly:" Since when have you become a psychologist? God knows you need help.", a sharp laughter in return.

 _Indeed I do, don't I? Though it seems you need it more. Your feelings for the Cetra has caused all the turmoil inside of you. It's disappointing that Zack survived but it will be interesting to observe once my revival draws nearer…_

Cloud frowned and asked:" What are you talking about?", no reply.

"Sephiroth!" Cloud growled as he slammed his fist against Fenrir's polished metal seat, he sighed heavily, rubbing his pulsing forehead.

It was no use. He was happy when the bastard was silent anyway. Though the last cryptic message caused his gut to clench uncomfortably. What did he mean with that?

He found out that the remnants planned on reviving Sephiroth with the help of Jenova's head, Cloud was doing anything he could in order to find it before they did.

He looked back at Seventh Heaven.

He took out his phone and called Zack.

" _Cloud?" ,_ Zack's bewildered voice answered.

"Zack I need you to find Jenova's head before the remnants.", Cloud replied without delaying anything.

" _What? I know that but I have no idea where it is! Why are you calling? Where are you? Come home Cloud!",_ Zack's worried voice rang in his ears.

"Just find it. I'll try not to fall under Sephiroth's control often.", before Cloud could hang up the change in tone of Zack's voice caused him to stop

" _Cloud.",_ Zack's voice took on a deep, deathly serious tone.

"What is it Zack?", Cloud asked.

" _SOLDIER doesn't mean monster.",_ Cloud's eyes widened at his words.

"I never made it into SOLDIER.", Cloud grit his teeth.

 _"_ _It doesn't matter, it's what's in your heart that matters. You are a good guy, you're just playing on the wrong side.",_

Cloud challenged:" And what side is that?",

" _Sephiroth's.",_ the voice of his best friend echoed in his ears…he was right but…

"I have to go.", again, Zack stopped him.

" _Cloud.",_ the blonde sighed and asked:" Yes?",

 _"_ _I believe in you. Embrace your dreams…and whatever happens, protect your honor.",_

"As SOLDIER.", Cloud almost automatically finished, the familiar words coming back to him. But Zack shocked him by saying

" _No. As yourself.",_ with that Zack hung up, letting the words impact Cloud.

The phone was still pressed to his ear as Cloud thought over Zack's words, letting them sink in deeply.

The blonde haired warrior drove away from Edge, Zack's words repeating themselves as he drove aimlessly into the night.

 _SOLDIER doesn't mean monster._

 _Embrace your dreams and protect your honor. No, as yourself._

 _I believe in you._

Cloud felt the first tear fall before he even realized he started crying…he hadn't cried in years.

* * *

Tifa placed a hand on Zack's broad shoulder as she asked:" Who was that Zack?", the man turned around and offered her a bright smile. He said:" Oh it was just Aaron, he said tomorrow he would upgrade Lycana a little so she was even faster than she already is!",

Tifa smiled and shook her head as she said:" Alright. Supper is ready.", he nodded and watched her go before he looked back out the window, towards the dusty path that a motorcycle created as the rider drove away from Edge.

 _Cloud_ …

Zack shook his head and sighed deeply.

He left Cloud's old room and turned off the lights, shutting the door softly as the flashbacks stayed where they were for now.

In his memories.

* * *

 **Finished…I really hope I didn't mess it up! I just felt like writing drama and angst and hurt/comfort genres…forgive me if there isn't a lot happening in this chapter! I promise the next one will be better! Thanks for reading and please review!**


	28. The Demons of our Past, the Angels of

**Enjoy dear readers!**

 _ **Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy and all it's characters! I own the plot and my OC's!**_

 **Chapter 28: The Demons of Our Past, The Angels of our Future**

* * *

 _Zack fell to his knees, before his mentor and closest friend, Angeal. He knew those injuries couldn't be cured with a simple healing potion and he didn't have any other more powerful ones on his person…_

 _"_ _Zack…you have my thanks." Angeal said, his voice was strained but he looked truly happy, relieved. But Zack was not. He knew what would happen._

 _"_ _A-Angeal!" he couldn't form words, his vision blurring from his tears as he quickly wiped them away so he could brand his mentor's face forever in his mind, not that he would ever forget._

 _His mentor gave him a happy, warm smile, silently telling him he did a good job….before he lifted the buster sword and said:" This…is for you…" he held it out for his beloved student to take._

 _Angeal's face softened as he said his final words:" Protect your honor…always." he looked at Zack for the last time and slowly closed his eyes, death finally taking him._

 _Zack gasped, his grief and guilt choking him…tearing him from the inside…he grabbed the Buster sword and held it in front of his face, remembering the wise words of the one man who became a father figure in his time at SOLDIER._

 ** _Embrace your dreams…_**

 ** _If you want to be a hero, you need to have dreams…and honor…_**

 _Zack had cried, he had cried hard that day…after he returned to Aerith to ensure she was safe and well and that he didn't lose her too…she comforted him. She didn't say anything, she just hugged him tightly and let him cry. And that gave him courage, the will to continue._

 _He had recovered, albeit slowly. Angeal always lingered in the back of his mind, no matter the situation._

 _But suddenly…it all changed._

 _Instead of him killing Angeal, it was Angeal's buster sword that was rammed through Zack's abdomen, blooding trickling steadily from his open mouth and his blue eyes were frozen with shock. He robotically looked down at the large sword that had pierced him, how didn't it tear off his mid-section? He looked slowly toward Angeal, but then his face changed._

 _Sephiroth._

 _Zack breathed out through his blood filled mouth:" S-Sephiroth…" he weakly gripped the blade, it dug into his hands but at this point the pain was minimal. The silver haired general looked at Zack, his green, slit eyes burning with anger and betrayal._

 _He pushed the buster sword deeper into Zack and blood spilled out of his mouth, on the blade. Zack's eyes began to dull but not before he asked:" W-why….?" but then his face changed again._

 _Cloud…_

 _His best friend looked him dead in the eye, a strong killing intent shining in his blue eyes. Clear blue. Cloud moved closer and whispered:" It's only fair, isn't it Zack? You took everything from me, so you deserve to die by my hand." Cloud twisted the sword a little, tearing Zack's insides apart. He should have been long dead, why was he still conscious and alive?_

 _"_ _C-C-Cloud…I t-thought…I…"_

 _"_ _Thought what? That you're still my friend after stealing my family? Sephiroth was right, I should have killed you long ago._ _ **Traitor**_ _!"_

 _"_ _Cloud! N-no! CLOUD!" his vision darkened, Cloud suddenly vanishing from his view. Instead Aerith's image replaced him, her face ghostly pale as Sephiroth's Masamune stuck out of her abdomen. Zack's eyes widened in horror. No…_

 _Tifa, Marlene, Denzel…they were all there smiling happily at him. Zack ran towards them, calling their names but they were all getting farther away the faster he ran._

 _Tifa suddenly said, her voice thick with disgust and burning hatred:" I've always hated you. You destroyed my family, my village, took away Cloud…I hate Shinra! I hate SOLDIER! And I hate you!", her words from years before echoed in his ears._

 _He fell to his knees helplessly and desperate as he pleaded weakly:" Denzel?", the little boy glared at him and spat:" You're a liar! You shooed Cloud away! You are no hero, you're a loser! You can't even protect anyone!", he too, vanished._

 _Zack looked at Marlene pleadingly, the girl snorted and crossed her arms, her eyes practically burned with hatred as she growled:" I hate you! You made Tifa cry! You didn't keep your promise to bring Cloud back! Why did you survive!? Can't you just be dead and leave us in peace?!", before her image vanished from his mind's eye._

 _And he screamed. He screamed the most broken and desperate scream he had ever heard, his own voice sounded alien to him. But then he saw the last person, Cloud._

 _Cloud was coming at him with his buster sword in hand, shouting how much he hated him and that he should die. Before the menacing blade made contact with Zack, his vision was enveloped in white and he fainted._

* * *

Tifa jumped on top of Zack, trying to hold him down as he kept thrashing and shouting. He was having a nightmare, a very intense one too. Tifa used her strength to pin his arms down as she shouted in worry:" Zack! ZACK! WAKE UP!"

The SOLDIER's sky blue eyes shot open, tears streaming from them, his chest heaving up and down heavily as he tried to control his rapid breathing. His eyes focused on the worried face of Tifa, he looked to the side of the bed to see Marlene and Denzel looking at him with frightened and worried expressions.

He realized he was in his own room, which he himself built inside of Seventh Heaven. It was just next to Tifa's, on the right. He sighed heavily, wiping away the sweat from his forehead. He was soaked.

"Hey…" Tifa gently said as she pushed his hair away from his terrified face, he looked like he saw the devil in person. She smiled kindly, rubbing at his wrists which she was forced to hold down roughly from his flailing fists.

He took a deep breath and said:" H-hey…" he looked at the kids and smiled, trying to reassure them. Man, he must have scared them out of their minds…just great.

Tifa's warm hands gently cradled his face as she asked softly:" What happened? You were screaming and thrashing around, what was your nightmare about?"

Zack closed his eyes to refocus his scrambled mind, before he answered:" I-it was about my past at first…but then..everything changed. ", he looked at Marlene and Denzel and said:" Hey, why don't you guys go downstairs and play prank calls on Vincent? Tifa and I will come down quick.",

Marlene and Denzel shook their heads and threw themselves at Zack, saying:" We don't want to leave you!" Tifa's expression softened as she gently pulled them away from Zack and said:" Come on now, listen to Zack and go downstairs. I promise we will get down shortly, alright?"

Both sighed and nodded, reluctantly leaving and closing the door. Zack breathed a sigh of relief, Tifa slowly moved off of him and he sat up, running a hand through his sweaty hair.

Tifa said with a hand on his knee:" Zack…" he sighed and whispered:" I…my nightmare changed…it only got worse…I remembered Angeal's death, but then Angeal had stabbed his sword right through me, he didn't say anything. His face changed to Sephiroth and he only pushed the sword deeper into me, his eyes were filled with anger and…and betrayal…" Zack's fist clenched tightly.

Tifa placed a comforting hand on his fist, gently prying it open so her smaller hand fit into his larger one, holding onto him tightly. She nodded, encouraging him to continue. Zack took a shaky breath and said:" His face changed again…this time…it…it was Cloud…he twisted the sword into me, I felt everything, it…it was tearing me apart, it was almost as painful as when Shinra troops had almost killed me…"

"Cloud said how he hated me for stealing away his family…how I deserved to _die_ by _his_ hand.", Zack stared at his hands, as if picturing the nightmare clearly in them.

"Then I saw you and Marlene and Denzel…you…" Tifa squeezed his hand, biting her lip. "You said how much you hated me, how you hated Shinra and SOLDIER, for burning down Nibelheim, for killing your family, for taking Cloud away…Marlene and Denzel said how I wasn't a hero and couldn't protect anyone…"

Tifa moved closer, letting Zack bury his face in the crook of her neck, his arms automatically wrapped around her and he inhaled sharply at the images flooding his mind. She was his lifeline, his connection to reality as he felt himself slipping further and further into insanity.

Tifa stroked his back, hummed in his ear and whispered:" Zack…don't ever think that we don't love you. Cloud would never do that to you, you're his hero. _Our_ hero. Sephiroth went on a rampage and burnt down Nibelheim, I never blamed you for it. I don't blame you for the scar do I? The scar helps me to remember my past but it also reminds me that I _survived_ and _overcame_ it, with the help of my friends. You should too." she gently traced the "X" shaped scar on his cheek.

He blinked and looked at her amazed before he took a deep breath and smiled warmly at her, he leaned his forehead against Tifa's as he said:" Tifa…thank you." He nuzzled her slightly, causing her cheeks to heat up a little.

She nuzzled him back and they both stayed that way for some time. Before Tifa broke away and stood up, extending a hand towards Zack. She offered him a warm smile and said:" You coming? The kids are waiting for us Zack."

The former SOLDIER First Class smiled and took her hand, standing up. He changed quickly and followed Tifa out of his room, his nightmares chased away.

His darkest nightmares were chased away by the light…by Tifa's radiating light.

* * *

"The _hell_?! Get OFF OF ME!" Cid shouted, slamming his spear against the Shadow Creeper's head harshly.

" _How did those damn mother of gods get here anyway?! I was just finished polishing Shera too! Now they think they can ambush me out of the blue and do this shit?!"_ the experienced pilot grinned as he grabbed two explosive materia from behind his back, just as six Shadow Creepers ran towards him. He shouted while spitting his cigarette out:" Hey uglies! I have a nice, shiny surprise for you! Fetch!" he cast the explosive materia on his assailants, quickly going into Shera and lifting the large ship into the air.

He had to get to Seventh Heaven and warn everyone, a slip of paper was on the seat beside him.

 _Dear AVALANCHE,_

 _Hand over our Mother. If you refuse, the consequences shall be severe. Starting with your two precious orphans and the barmaid._

 _Kadaj_

Cid growled and sped up, his ship flying through the air at top speed as he arrived shortly in front of the bar. After he steadied the ship and landed he quickly jumped out, taking the letter with him.

He shouted loud and clear:" Yo! Tifa! Zack!" he slammed the door open, all patrons looking at him with mixed expressions, some shocked, others scared while the regulars looked like they were used to these kinds of…outbursts.

Cid glared at them and asked:" Where the hell's Lockhart?" one of the patrons pointed at the door, the storage room, and Cid nodded in thanks.

He slammed that door open too and hit Zack square in the back with it, making the tall SOLDIER almost stumble upon the surprised woman who was taking list of her inventory. Zack gripped the sturdy open case in which all sorts of liquors, soft drinks and food was stored in.

He slowly turned his head, glaring threateningly at Cid, who wasn't fazed at all by the menacing glare. Zack pushed himself away from Tifa and asked:" Alright, what's your deal? You almost broke my back-"

"The Remnants." Cid said in a low tone, careful to not gain the attention of the patrons outside. He closed the door behind him as surprise settled over Zack and Tifa. He handed them the slip of paper.

Zack and Tifa's eyes widened when they read the letter, Zack's hands shook in anger as he snarled:" I'll be back by dawn." His hand moved onto the hilt of his large buster sword but Tifa grabbed him by the shoulder as she said:" Wait! Zack! Don't act rash we have to-" he cut her off

"Have to _what_? They just threatened you and the kids and you expect me to stand by and not do a thing about it?! I'll teach them a lesson to mess with _my_ -" Cid sighed and barked:" Oi soldier! She's right, no use in tracking them down and getting your ass handed to you, especially if they still control spiky!" Zack growled but calmed down after he looked at Tifa's pleading gaze. He sighed heavily and crossed his arms, he replied:" Alright, we need to gather the team."

Cid grinned and said:" Already did, they should be here any-"

"Why the hell didn't ya tell me you got THREATENED by those fanboys?! I'll gun em' to bits with my gun before they can hide behind spiky! And why the hell is spiky HElPIN' em'!? I'll kick his ass too!"

"Barret, would you calm down al-" the large man turned to the tiny Wutai ninja and shouted at the top of his lungs:" I ain't comin' down nowhere when my baby girl is being threatened by some silver haired wannabes and the freakin' Choccobo ass!" he cracked his knuckles and his nosestrils flared as he glared at Zack, Tifa and Cid.

Cid suddenly exploded, he got up right into Barret's face as he shouted:" I did you fuckin' idiot! Why else would you come here?! For tea party?! Cloud ain't helpin' them nothin' he's being controlled by that weirdo Sephiroth!" Barret glared heatedly at Cid as he straightened and threw his arms up in the air, nearly knocking Cait Sith into the wall.

"That's it! How about you just keep your mouth shut and sit down already? There's no use in barging in here swearing and cursing with kids upstairs! I suggest _everyone_ takes a stool and tries devising a plan on how to surprise attack the remnants and break their control over Cloud! _That's an order!_ " Zack said sternly, his fist resting on the wooden counter of the bar, Tifa standing right next to him, amazed.

Barret, his blood still boiling in fury, came right into Zack's face as he said:" And who the hell made you captain of the team huh?! Listen up you runt, I ain't followin' orders from a rookie like you who just woke up from his beauty sleep-" Barret found his fishnet suddenly grabbed tightly by none other than Zack, who pulled him down to his eye level with surprising strength.

Zack's usually warm, cheerful sky blue eyes darkened a little as he glared sternly at Barret, the large man found himself shiver slightly, he didn't know why. Was it… _fear_?

Zack said:" I have no doubt that you have experienced your fair share of war and fights, Barret, but I was a First Class SOLDIER, training under one of the best and strongest men working for Shinra. I _killed_ my mentor to grant him salvation, I betrayed the company I worked for to save my best friend and other people, I got _stabbed_ , _shot at, bombed_ and _burnt_ from over four thousand SOLDIERs and four helicopters working for the same filthy company that I betrayed. I was laying in a puddle of my own blood and almost _choked_ on it when I thought I was going to die and my insides were tearing apart. I'm _sorry_ for giving out orders but _someone_ has to in order to find out how to beat our enemy, right?"

Barret felt his fishnet shirt being loosened from Zack's grasp as he straightened back up slowly, looking at the smaller male in surprise and awe. The whole bar was silent, Tifa looking at Zack with a painful understanding in her eyes as she squeezed his broad shoulder.

Zack's expression softened at her touch, she said softly:" Barret," she nodded at the larger table with chairs and the man nodded dumbly before he slumped heavily on it, Yuffie, Vincent, Cid, Cait Sith and Nanaki were all quiet, still processing Zack's speech.

Vincent asked breaking the silence:" So, what do we do?" Zack and Tifa joined them, Tifa answered firmly:" First, we need to pinpoint their location and try to find out as much about Jenova and Sephiroth as possible."

Yuffie asked:" But how do we do that?" Tifa smirked and said:" Well, I know certain people who may help us."

* * *

"So, Cloud's making trouble again huh? I knew there was something that annoyed me about that guy…" Reno said as he rested his electrical rod against his shoulders.

"And you require my assistance in order to capture the remnants successfully?" said a cloaked figure in white, sitting on a wheel chair, his face concealed by the cloth, all except his lips.

"Yes, we do. Please, I know how much it means to you to defeat Sephiroth once and for all." Zack said, bowing his head in respect and shame at the same time.

The man made a hand motion for Zack to straighten himself as he said:" No need for you to feel ashamed, First Class SOLDIER. It was not you who brought the plague called Geostigma upon the people." The man's hand, which was partially exposed, was covered by black spots.

Geostigma…

"But I was operating under Sephiroth when Angeal and Genesis defected from Shinra. I am to blame as well." Zack clenched his fist as the man spoke:" What makes you think that? It was not you who burned down Nibelheim and wreaked havoc upon the earth, now was it?" Zack shook his head.

"I will gladly offer my services to you. However, we need to save Cloud from Sephiroth's claws first, before it's too late." Zack nodded in agreement. He opened the door and was about to leave before he stopped and asked:" Just answer me one thing Rufus…"

"Yes, Zack?" Rufus Shinra asked him curiously

The young man partially turned around and grinned, he asked:" When can we start?"

* * *

 **Well…I hope it's not too…uh "depressed"? "Nightmare-filled"? Heh, yeah, I just thought it would fit for this chapter. I'm REALLY curious what you guys say to THIS chapter! PLEASE, please read and review! Thanks!** **J**


	29. Counter Plan

**Hello dear and very much appreciated readers!** **J** **I want to sincerely apologize for the LONG wait, the exams I had to take were quite time consuming and required my full attention. Anyhow, I hope you're eager for another chapter! Please enjoy!**

 ** _Disclaimer: I don't own FF7, Crisis Core, Advent Children or any other works. Square Enix owns them only!_**

 **Chapter 29: Counter Plan**

* * *

Tifa asked slightly uncertain:" Zack, are you sure this will work?" she looked questioningly at the grinning, former SOLDIER First Class as he lifted his heavy buster sword in the air.

He made a beckoning hand gesture as he said:" Come and see for yourself". Well, she couldn't back down from a challenge now could she?

Tifa took on a fighting stance and ran swiftly towards Zack, aiming a kick for his face. Zack blocked her powerful kick with the flat blade of his sword, pushing her back as she did a somersault in mid-air and landed on her feet before she immediately lunged at him again. Zack suddenly held up a hand to stop their fight, Tifa stopped as well.

She asked:" What is it?" Zack placed the buster sword against the wall of Seventh Heaven, he turned back around and grinned as he stretched his arms and cracked his knuckles, purely to mock his "opponent". Tifa asked with a raised eyebrow:" Oh? Hand to hand huh?"

Zack took his stance as he said:" Why not? That way we are fighting on equal grounds, more or less." He remarked with a wink, referring to his mako enhanced training as a former SOLDIER. Tifa smirked and said as she aimed a punch:" Trust me, it makes little difference."

Zack narrowly turned his head to the right to avoid her punch, his eyes widened a bit when he felt the air pressure from her powerful punch against his cheek. He jumped away to put some distance between them, he side stepped her advances as she dodged his own fast punch. They danced around each-other as Zack remarked while dodging her punches and kicks:" Well, well, well, Zangan was a pretty good trainer huh? You're good Lockhart."

Tifa grinned as she said:" Well, then you have seen nothing yet Fair." And then he regretted taunting her before, even if it was playful.

Tifa, at unnatural speed, turned around delivering a _strong_ roundhouse kick to Zack's middle, accompanied by a flurry of punches and powerful kicks, mostly delivered to his torso. Tifa sent Zack flying by executing a bone crushing punch to his jaw.

Zack landed a few feet away on the ground but managed to land hard on his knees at the last minute, one hand balancing himself on the ground while the other rested on his knee. His gaze was fixed on the ground so Tifa couldn't see his expression but she stood on alert as he slowly reached a hand up to his mouth, wiping it.

Zack chuckled, slowly standing up with a smirk. He craned his neck, hearing something pop before he rubbed his jaw. He commented with a serious but challenging look:" Hm, not bad Lockhart. Not bad at all, in fact. I would have to take you on your word, about defeating a former First Class…"

That's when he attacked. Tifa shielded her face by crossing her arms, she was pushed a few steps away from her original spot, still in a defensive position from Zack's kick. He was strong, that was for sure. But she had a feeling that he was stronger than the normal First Classes, excluding the legendary trio of course.

As Zack and Tifa continued to train together, Yuffie was sitting on the steps of Seventh Heaven, watching the pair with Denzel and Marlene next to her. Denzel's eyes were wide in amazement and awe, intensely following each of their movements.

Marlene looked also mesmerized by the display, she asked Yuffie:" Wow, I can't believe it…they look so strong." Denzel cheered loudly:" Yeah! Go Zack!" Zack stopped and turned quickly to look at him, waving with a grin, before he ducked when Tifa tried to kick him in the face.

Marlene cheered:" Tifa, you deliver as good as you get!" Tifa smiled at her sweetly and called:" Thank you sweetie, I will!" she dodged Zack's punch and threw him over her shoulder but he regained his balance and swept her off her feet, literally.

Tifa fell down with a yelp but she was suddenly caught by two strong arms just before she made contact with the ground.

She looked up at Zack, they were both panting. They were at it for…an hour? Two? She lost count after half an hour… Zack smiled and said as he helped Tifa up:" Let's take a break for now." She nodded and smiled, dusting herself off.

She felt her cheeks heating up when Zack gently brushed his thumb against her cheek, at a small bruise. He winced in sympathy and said:" I'm sorry about that, I didn't think I-" but she cut him off firmly:" Don't worry Zack, I'm fine really." She sent him a reassuring smile.

He slowly smiled back, scratching the back of his neck. She grinned and said while playfully punching his arm:" Well, you aren't completely spotless either." She was right, in fact, he was covered in scratches and bruises here and there. She was pretty strong, almost as strong as a First Class at SOLDIER would be.

Maybe even stronger. He doubted she showed her true colors during their training, he could tell, no, _feel_ , how she pulled her punches. She didn't make it obvious, but Zack had learned a thing or two from fighting on the front lines for so long, even if he did sleep for years…

Yuffie and the kids started clapping, with Yuffie bearing a shit-eating grin on her face. She said:" That was interesting to watch! Didn't know SOLDIERs knew how to fight." She teased playfully with a wink, Zack crossed his arms as he playfully joked back:" Really? I always thought there was a certain height restriction when you wanted to become a ninja…"

Oh, oh.

"Zack, run." Marlene said as she slowly backed away from the small ninja, Denzel following her example. Tifa only looked on in amusement as she watched Zack being chased by Yuffie, who kept screaming at him for insulting her height.

"I'm NOT short, I'm compact!" she kept shouting over and over. At the sound of a deep, male voice chuckling she turned to look at Aaron leaning against the wall with a large grin on his face.

Tifa smiled warmly and said:" Oh, hello Aaron. How are you doing?" the elderly man smiled and nodded saying:" Hello to you too young lady. I'm alright thanks and yourself?" Tifa giggled and said:" Oh, fine I guess. Just finished training with Zack."

The old mechanic nodded and said:" I saw. The boy's got pretty amazing skills…as do you. You sure can take care of yourself if you need something." He ruffled Denzel's hair and Tifa smiled at that, she asked:" Would you like anything to drink or eat maybe?" the old man shook his head and politely said:" No, no thank you Tifa. I still have work to do at the shop, I just came by to give you this."

He gave her what looked to be a letter, she looked at it confused until Aaron said:" It's from Cloud." She froze. She looked up at Aaron, who nodded in confirmation. He continued:" He came by early this morning, said he couldn't risk being seen near the bar so instead he gave me the letter. It's a miracle the kid even remembers me from all that's happened."

Tifa smiled sadly and said softly:" Zack told him…" Aaron nodded, he left with a wave as he said:" Just call if you need anything, tell Zack he's free today." Tifa called after him:" I will! Thank you a lot Aaron!" he nodded before he continued on his way.

Tifa said:" Zack." The man paused from running away from Yuffie, looking at Tifa with a concerned expression as she read a piece of paper. A letter? From whom? She looked troubled…

" _Just what's going on? Tifa looks worried…"_ Zack thought as he approached Tifa, who was biting her lip in worry.

Zack asked:" What is it?" he moved next to her so he could read the contents of the letter as well. As he read the first sentence his eyes widened.

 _Zack_

 _It's me Cloud. I'm sorry I'm not able to contact you directly, the remnants are carefully watching my movements so I can't go near Seventh Heaven without them questioning my loyalty._

 _Sephiroth's still controlling my mind, I can't shut him out, I tried._

 _Zack, you need to get Jenova's head before the remnants do. If they get their hands on it that means that Sephiroth will be revived and that he will plunge Gaia into chaos again just like Jenova. I don't know when we can meet but I'll try to call when I'm sure I'm not being watched._

 _For now just make sure to not get involved with the remnants, they are planning to ambush you and Seventh Heaven. They want to capture Zack when he's on deliveries and storm Seventh Heaven, they said something about Geostigma and the kids but they wouldn't tell me anything further. That's all I can say for now._

 _Take care of Tifa and the kids Zack. Make sure the bastards don't get their hands on either of them. Take care of yourself too._

 _Cloud._

Zack and Tifa looked at each-other. An ambush? Capture Zack?

 _What the hell?_

"You're not going out on deliveries alone. In fact, you won't go on any deliveries!" Tifa immediately made that clear, Zack gaped at her for a second before he said:" W-what? But I have to! We still have two children to worry about! Besides didn't you read what Cloud wrote? He said the remnants plan to ambush Seventh Heaven after they captured me! I'll head out and hunt them down first before that happens."

Tifa's fist tightened around the letter as she said right in Zack's face:" Zack, don't you even dare. We will be fine, we have plenty of savings and I'm still working the bar after all. I'll tell AVALANCHE about this now and we will formulate a strategy."

Zack and Tifa stared each-other down, willing the other to back down. Well…both were pretty stubborn. Yuffie looked between the two back and forth, biting her nails anxiously. Tifa snapped at her lightly as she said:" Yuffie, this isn't a drama scene for god's sake!" Yuffie retorted bluntly:" Sure looks like that to me."

Zack sighed heavily, he rested his hand on his hip as he said:" How about this. I'll stay with you at Seventh Heaven, we will form a plan with the others, I'll call Cloud to find out about their next moves and we will take them by surprise if they decide to ambush us."

Tifa narrowed her eyes and asked suspiciously:" How comes you backed down so easily?" Zack crossed his arms and asked teasingly:" Who said I backed down?" Tifa playfully slapped his chest as he chuckled and lightly bumped her shoulder.

They both headed back inside the Seventh Heaven, just as Zack was about to enter the bar his sharp hearing picked something up.

The moment Zack turned around, his blue eyes widened in shock. He shouted in alarm:" Tifa!" and quickly pushed Tifa and the kids down to the floor, covering them with his body and using his wide sword as a extra shield.

They coughed heavily from all the smoke, Zack and Tifa slowly stood up and turned around to look at what happened.

Zack's eyes widened as he said:" What the…."

"Hello there Zack. Did you miss your fellow SOLDIER?"

* * *

 **Cliffhanger! ^^ Hehe…sorry about that. I know…haven't updated in a long time and then I come with a damn cliffhanger? Well…I like to build up some drama and anticipation! Please write me some reviews I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter! I'll try to update more frequently! Thanks for reading! ;) BTW: Who do you think just arrived? A new enemy? An old friend? It's someone from SOLDIER but whom? And does Zack know him personally? Please write your thoughts in the reviews or PM me!**


	30. SOLDIER and Genesis

**Hello again guys! Gihi, I left you with a devastating cliffhanger in the previous chapter, I hope I managed to fulfill your expectations by revealing the identity of the mysterious SOLDIER that arrived. Enjoy! And thanks everyone for the reviews!**

 **READ : Originally, I had wanted Kunsel to reappear, seeing as his fate is also unknown and he ****_was_** **a good friend of Zack after all. But then I remembered the last scene in Dirge of Cerberus, where Genesis is in that mysterious cave and flies off. I'm not sure if Square plans on making a sequel (I hope so) but I'll try to stay in character and continue the story.**

 ** _Disclaimer: Square Enix owns all Final Fantasy stuff here, I just own the plot and OC's!_**

 **Chapter 30: SOLDIER and Genesis**

* * *

"I-It can't be…" Zack said as he slowly stood up, sword in hand, covering Tifa and the children. In the meantime Yuffie had rushed to the scene, shocked at discovering some man in a red cloak with a freaking _black wing_ standing there in front of Zack!

"I see you remember me Zack, that's good to know. I haven't gone through the long journey trying to find you only to come up empty handed." He scanned Zack from head to toe and remarked:" Ah, the Goddess did you justice, old friend."

Zack glared and said:" What Goddess, Genesis? The Turks had found me half dead because of Shinra! They saved my life! How are you alive anyway, I saw you die." Genesis smirked and answered:" Wrong. You saw me as you left me, asleep. I'll let you in on a little secret Fair."

Genesis' wing disappeared and he sheathed his rapier, lifting his hands up in a peace offering. Zack slowly lowered his sword but didn't sheath it, the man was adept at using materia, especially fire materia, so Zack didn't want to risk anything. He said:" I'm listening Genesis."

The red commander sighed as he continued his tale:" I was found and taken care of you could say. By none other than Rufus' underlings. Rufus Shinra knew I was alive but he didn't try to capture me, it seemed like he didn't view me as a threat at all. While my intentions may not be as malicious as that of Sephiroth, I had expected him to be more on guard." Genesis looked at Tifa, the scared orphans and Yuffie, who already had her Shuriken in her hands.

Undeterred, he continued his story:" I had found out about the remnants when I paid Rufus a visit and he told me how humanity battled with a disease called Geostigma and that there was a possibility of reviving Sephiroth." His eyes narrowed as he said:" Zack…." His once high held head lowered to the ground, his voice lowering as he said:" You know Angeal and I grew up together…after we met Sephiroth, we were like brothers…but Sephiroth's rank and strength overruled his mind and he turned arrogant. I had prayed to the Goddess for her to heal him of his arrogance…but it seemed impossible to do. After Sephiroth destroyed Nibelheim and went rampant, I had pestered Angeal into staying with me whereas he wanted to come to you and keep you away from Sephiroth."

Zack growled as he said:" Keep me away? Why?" his blue eyes narrowed, he was suspicious. Genesis was…used to be Angeal's close friend but to Zack, his motive was unclear now…

"Sephiroth's mind had succumbed to madness, he was deprived of any rational thought, all that was on his mind was to meet his "mother", Jenova, and world domination. Angeal had worried that he would influence you and possibly harm you. Thankfully, he was stopped, but it seems like his conscious is intact. He only needs a physical body to manifest and nothing could stop him of fulfilling his goal." Zack declared firmly as he rested the Buster sword against his shoulders:" Nothing but me and Cloud."

"Cloud?" a brown brow raised in question, Zack replied:" Cloud Strife, he was an infantryman working for Shinra. I went with him on several missions, Nibelheim was his home…he stopped Sephiroth the first time and I'm sure he will stop him again." Genesis frowned and shook his head, replying:" Don't fool yourself, the remnants are strong on their own, I shudder to think how much more powerful Sephiroth has become once he gets revived."

Zack grit his teeth and said:" He _won't_ get revived! Not if I can help it!" Genesis commented:" You may die." Zack retorted:" So be it, if it means protecting the ones I love and care about then I have no fear of dying!" Zack stopped when he felt two small bodies colliding into his legs, holding onto them tightly.

He looked down and saw Marlene and Denzel, their eyes glistening with unshed tears, Marlene said:" N-no! Please Zack, don't die! Please! I don't want you to go!" Denzel rubbed his face in the fabric of his pants as he sniffled:" Z-Zack, d-don't do it! I don't want Tifa to get lonely again! Cloud won't come back but we can rely on you. You won't leave us!" both children cried as Zack stood frozen as a statue.

Zack frowned deeply and kneeled down, encircling his arms around both children, comforting them and letting them cry on his shoulders. He rubbed their heads and backs soothingly, trying to calm their crying. Genesis said with a surprisingly soft expression:" Your children…I wouldn't be as reckless to head to battle like that Zack, with the fear of leaving behind a family…" he looked at Tifa then. Zack tightened his grip on Marlene and Denzel and said softly:" I won't leave my family behind Genesis, I don't plan to. Not with Cloud at my side to fight off Sephiroth."

Genesis's expression turned serene and emotionless as he said:" Don't be so sure…the remnants, or Sephiroth for that matter, have control over Cloud. As far as I can remember, Jenova cells were also injected into him, I've heard of a infantryman who was also part of the project, but I had not known of his name then." He looked down at the crying children and said:" If Strife doesn't help, I will."

Zack turned surprised eyes to Genesis, by now Marlene and Denzel only sniffled a little, but still held onto him tightly. Zack had straightened, Tifa hugging Marlene and Denzel to herself protectively. Zack's eyes narrowed and he asked:" Why Genesis?"

The man smiled a small smile and said:" Because…you were Angeal's student and closest friend…almost like a son… what honor and respect would I be giving my deceased friend if I didn't help the people important to him in the land of the living? It would be a disgrace and something I possibly couldn't bear." Zack smiled, he suddenly approached him directly and hugged him.

Genesis stood frozen, in shock at the sudden action. Zack whispered:" Thank you, I know we haven't always seen eye-to-eye but we both cared about Angeal and Sephiroth. It's too late to save Sephiroth but let's honor Angeal and at least save the planet from Sephiroth." Genesis nodded, slowly hugging the younger man back.

As they parted, Genesis smiled at Tifa and said smoothly:" My apologies for the inconvenience miss, my name is Genesis Rhapsodos, former First Class SOLDIER." He bowed, his head low and his hand was on his chest. Tifa relaxed slightly, seeing Zack also relaxed. She slowly took a few steps forward and said:" It's alright, I suppose. You've just scared the children."

Genesis kneeled down to Denzel and Marlene's level, he smiled and offered them his hand when he said softly:" I'm sorry if I scared you little ones. It was not my intention truly." Denzel said:" You talk in a funny way…" Marlene giggled and shook his hand, Genesis chuckled as Tifa reprimanded:" Denzel, that was rude!" he held up a hand and said:" It's alright, I suppose reading LOVELESS has made me acquire a unique speech pattern." Tifa smiled warmly as Genesis chuckled.

He straightened and gently took Tifa's hand in his, kissing her knuckles like a gentleman. Zack scoffed in the back, crossing his arms in slight annoyance at the display. Genesis smirked and said:" Ah, I beg your pardon, I haven't realized the pup is so territorial of his wife. He has all good reason to be." He winked playfully at Tifa, who blushed lightly in embarrassment. Zack said in the back:" Cut it out man! We aren't married!"

The redhead's eyes twinkled playfully as he joked:" Oh? So, there is no man standing in my way from sweeping this fair maiden off her feet?" Tifa giggled again and said:" I'm sorry to disappoint you but I've set my eyes on another man already." She pointedly refused to look at Zack, she would have probably hid in the garage and never come back at the astounded look Zack was giving her.

The former First Class grinned and said:" I see. Well, then I think I have some explaining to do. Shall we go inside?" Zack cleared his throat and nodded, Tifa smiled and as she turned around she gently closed the gaping mouth of her close friend Yuffie, who had drool running down her mouth and hearts appearing in her eyes at the sight of the handsome SOLDIER.

She whispered:" Damn…why do all SOLDIER boys have to be so hot?" she continued looking at the two men, not caring if she was doing it openly, she would be damned if she won't be getting an eyeful of them.

Wait a minute….if Zack was incredibly hot and this Genesis guy too…what would that Sephiroth character look like? Steam was almost coming out of her ears from only thinking about it. Ohh, suddenly, she was looking forward to the upcoming battle! Maybe she could even convince the guy to turn good! Vincent turned out all right after all….not that he was a bad person from the start…it was just her luck to be surrounded by all those handsome men.

Let's see…Tifa had Zack, that much was certain by their behavior towards each-other. Cloud…yeah, he was pining after a dead girl, joy. Vincent…well, she still had to analyze his feeling toward her, comes on the "maybe" pile. Genesis, she didn't know the guy, she just met him after all but she liked his speech and dressing style…he was a pretty boy too. Sephiroth, well she still hadn't met him and there _was_ that tiny little problem about him wanting to destroy the world and all…she sighed, why couldn't the men in her life be simple? Why do they either want to destroy the world or become some super soldiers?

* * *

 _I can sense him._

"Sense who? And get out of my head!" Cloud complained, growling as his headache grew worse. Sephiroth continued to say in his head,

 _I sense an old friend of mine, Genesis. He is alive after all._

"Genesis? I remember Zack mentioning a Genesis before…wasn't he also a First Class?" Sephiroth said:" _Indeed he was. Genesis, Angeal and I were the only First Classes back then. The best of the best, I ruling among them all. Genesis had always been envious of my superior strength and power, so he tried to surpass me countless of times but he never won. I presume he is out for blood. My blood._

Cloud frowned and said dryly:" Who _isn't_ out for your blood? I would kill you the second you stop controlling me and having a real body!" he growled lowly when Sephiroth chuckled.

 _Hm, still so naïve fool. I had often thought Zack the puppy was naïve but it seems you still don't fully understand everything that's happening._

Before Cloud could ask what he meant, he felt Sephiroth's control slip away and the pain and throbbing of the Geostigma stopped. He sighed in relief, leaned back against the wall of the old church.

So…that Genesis was back huh?

His blue eyes suddenly shot wide open, he immediately stood up and said aloud:" Damn it! He's a former SOLDIER, maybe he knows Zack is alive!" he froze.

Tifa, the kids…they could be in danger. Sephiroth said Genesis was also a First Class SOLDIER, he didn't know if he was stronger than Zack or not. If he was, then everyone was in danger upon meeting him.

There was only one thing to do now, he had to go to Seventh Heaven.

* * *

 **The end for now! I hope you guys liked it! Please share your opinions in reviews or feel free to PM me! Like I said, originally I wanted to add Kunsel but I wanted to try and solve the mystery around Genesis and had made him into an alley. You will out more as the story progresses. BTW: Do you guys think the story is…too long? I think it's alright but I'm afraid that I'm dragging it on for too long…**


	31. The Red Commander of the Goddess

**Disclaimer: I don't own ANYTHING. Square Enix owns Final Fantasy (all parts).**

 **Chapter 31: The Red Commander of the Goddess**

* * *

The redhead that was believed to be killed in action was calmly sitting at the bar on a stool, drinking from one of Tifa' more expensive wines, Banora White. He had to admit, the taste was exactly to his liking.

He was interrupted from his musings by none other than Zack, who asked him almost impatiently:" Well?" Genesis asked:" Well, what?"

"Don't hold me for a fool! What happened after I left you there?! You were supposed to be dead after our battle!" Zack almost shouted, Tifa placed a hand on his forearm, trying to calm him down.

Zack was usually a calm man, but this has proven to test his limits and patience. Genesis smirked, ignoring the younger man's anger as he said calmly:" Well, I thought to have died as well. I was captured, by what was originally Shinra's underground lab, then it was called "Deepground". After I recovered and regained my strength, I destroyed it, since they wanted to conduct the same experiments on me that Hollander and Hojo had tried back then."

His blue eyes darkened suddenly, the bar grew quiet. Tifa could sense something was definitely troubling the older man and it was certainly no laughing matter. She had heard of Deepground, she also heard they were planning to rebuild it and gather other mad scientists to continue what they left unfinished.

"Listen, I know you grew up with Angeal and were best friends with him and Sephiroth, but why did you return now? Angeal…is dead." Zack looked away, Tifa's hand squeezed his forearm in comfort. That didn't go unnoticed by Genesis.

"But Sephiroth still wanders the earth…I can sense it…his body may no longer be intact, but his conscious is…" Genesis said as he sipped more of the wine carefully, he looked at the dark red liquid and said:" Hmm…wine from Banora…how that brings back bittersweet memories…does it not, Zack?" he looked at the younger former SOLDIER pointedly.

Zack crossed his arms, leaning against the table. He asked warily:" Genesis…what are you planning? I may have accepted you here…unless, you plan on hurting any of us." Zack slowly moved his hand to the hilt of the Buster sword, his eyes briefly glancing at the stairs.

Genesis followed his gaze and understood, he said lightly:" It seems like my sense of time is poor…I haven't realized how long I have remained under a artificial sleep, to me though it seemed far longer. Those kids, Marlene and Denzel was it? They are orphans?" Zack nodded.

Tifa answered:" Yes, we took them in after Meteor hit and destroyed Midgar. We rebuilt this city called Edge." Genesis nodded at her explanation and said turning to Zack:" You have my word, Zack, that I won't cause you or anyone else here any harm. I didn't return to wreak havoc upon Gaia again, in fact I returned to atone for my sins and help."

He stood up then, Zack removed his hand from his sword and asked with crossed arms:" Help? How do I know I can trust you this time? To know that you won't betray us?" his implication was clear. How would he be certain he wouldn't betray them like Genesis betrayed Angeal and Sephiroth back then?

"Working for Shinra…it all seems like a distant memory, a dream…and yet, we carry the sins of our past within our hearts…" Genesis swung the blood red liquid inside the glass slightly, staring at it as if it held the answers to his problems.

"It's better this way, for us and everyone else. I've joined SOLDIER to become a hero, to be _someone_. But all I did there was fight, I killed, I hunted down people I didn't know, didn't know what crimes they committed, if they even _had_ any crimes to pay for… at first I refused to do such missions, but then Lazard told me…he told me that I should do the tasks I'm told to do, no questions asked, no objections." Zack swallowed.

"It was as if…as if we were machines. Killing machines. We fought, we killed. _Who_ did we fight with? _Who_ was our enemy? _Why_ was he our enemy? _Who_ and _why_ did we have to kill? Those questions were never answered, I was so disgusted with myself back then. And I realized…Aerith was right… SOLDIERs were scary, SOLDIERs did fight and they _did_ love it. It was all they knew…" he clenched his gloved hand tightly into a fist, staring at it, as if he could still see the blood of his foes and whoever he struck down on it…

A hero didn't needlessly kill, a hero didn't take lives without good reason, a hero _protected_. Then again…was there really _any_ reason good enough to actually end a life? Who decided that?

Those thoughts swirled around in Zack's mind, his train of thought was suddenly interrupted as Genesis spoke:" You understand now why Angeal and I defected from Shinra? We couldn't take it anymore. I was surprised how Angeal hadn't betrayed them first with his honor and dreams. Then again, those exact same reasons kept him at Shinra's side. And of course you, Zack."

Zack looked up at Genesis and asked confused:" M-me?" confusion overpowered his other emotions, the tornado inside him growing almost unbearable.

Genesis nodded and replied:" Yes, Angeal had refused my offer of leading a rebellion against Shinra, to leave them behind. He told me you were still young and that Shinra would destroy you if he didn't harden you so you could fight them off on your own…he was so worried, worried that they would corrupt you just like they played Sephiroth, told him his "mother" had died right after birth. All he knew about her was her name, Jenova, and nothing else. He had no idea he was the son of…a monster."

Zack slammed his fist down on the sturdy wood of the table, the action was sudden and caused everyone to look at the young man in shock. Tifa's look was worried as Zack's temper rose, he said through grit teeth:" Stop it, Genesis! None of you were ever monsters! Angeal, Sephiroth, you…you never were monsters! Jenova, Hojo and Hollander made you believe that! _Shinra_ made you believe that!" Zack's sky blue eyes were fierce and burning with determination, conviction.

Genesis locked gazes with his former comrade, they weren't glowing as brightly as they did before, after all its been a long time since Zack had gotten a mako injection, hence explaining the faint glow.

Zack was right. It was better this way. Without Shinra, without anyone trying to tell them what to think and what to do. They were free…or were they?

There was still Sephiroth. Genesis knew it wasn't the same Sephiroth as back then, he had heard of him burning down Nibelheim, finding out about his true heritage, all those revelations driving him closer to insanity until it finally overtook his entire being. And made him into the madman he is today.

The redhead smirked and said:" I believe you're right Zack, though there is still-" Genesis' blue eyes narrowed, he unsheathed his rapier and said:" He's coming." Zack asked seriously:" Who?"

"Sephiroth." Genesis had uttered that name like he was uttering the name of a demon, the atmosphere almost fittingly chilling as he readied his sword and materia.

Zack and Tifa's eyes widened, Yuffie gasped. Sephiroth? That crazy guy that tried to kill them all? No way!

Zack said:" But that's impossible! He doesn't even have a physical body!" Genesis glared at the younger man and replied seriously:" I can sense Sephiroth's aura…he's coming here, fast." Genesis walked out of the bar, a note of urgency and alarm in his step.

The former First Class SOLDIER unsheathed his sword, his hand shot out to block Tifa's way out when she tried to ready herself for battle and confront the threat. Zack looked at her from the corner of his eye and said:" Tifa, you go upstairs with Yuffie and stay with the kids. This could get really ugly, really fast if what Genesis said was true."

Tifa pushed against Zack's unyielding form as she protested heavily:" I'm not going to stay inside when you're exposed to danger like that! I will fight too Zack."Zack could see she wasn't going to change her mind, so he did what came first to mind.

He turned around, set aside his sword and placed his large hands on Tifa's waist. He hoisted her up over his shoulder, having a firm grip on her legs and back for various reasons. First, that she wouldn't fall and second that she didn't "accidentally" kick him.

"Wha- Zack! Let me go! I-I can't believe you-Zack!" she shouted, beating his back with her fists. He knew she wasn't using her full strength on him, she probably would have broken his spine if she did, but it still hurt a little nonetheless. The stunned Wutai ninja followed behind him, observing how her best friend flailed in the arms of the handsome SOLDIER frantically, demanding he let her go.

Zack huffed as he bounced her once on his shoulder, readjusting his grip so he didn't get kicked in the face or somewhere else. He opened the door with his foot and set her on the bed, Marlene and Denzel were staring at him with wide, shocked eyes.

Tifa looked furious as she immediately attempted to get up and perhaps punch him in the face. Zack pushed Yuffie inside and locked the door quickly, ensuring that Tifa didn't escape.

Zack heard her beating against the door and for a split second, he was afraid if the door would break from the force…he hoped it was sturdy enough to withstand her attacks.

The former SOLDIER said through the door:" I'm sorry Tifa but this is the only way to make sure you're safe! I'll go deal with whoever just came here, the last thing I want is for your or the kids to get hurt." He was leaving the floor while he listened to Tifa's rather intimidating promises of torture Zack knew he _would_ suffer at her hands when the fight was over.

He was starting to regret manhandling her like that…but just a little. Zack couldn't help but grin when he grabbed his sword and walked outside, finally seeing whom Genesis meant.

It was Cloud. And he was battling Genesis. Oh hell no.

Zack quickly jumped up and slammed his sword between them, roughly swinging it in a wide arc so they both were forced to jump back from the powerful blow.

Genesis froze for a split second, it reminded him of when he and Sephiroth would fight too seriously and Angeal, the voice of reason, would always interfere and try to stop their destructive fights.

The good old days, huh? Instead of reacting, Genesis calmly observed how Zack blocked Cloud's path to destroy him after the blonde retrieved his sword from when Zack had disarmed him, quickly trying to explain the situation to him. Cloud appeared almost cold, but soon his anger was visible and frustration. Lastly concern, for Tifa and the kids. Genesis had to raise an eyebrow at that, he seemed far too concerned for two orphans and a woman. He had to wonder just what his relationship was with them and where that left Zack?

He decided to save those thoughts for later, right now there was a conflict he had to resolve.

He stepped forth, rapier calm by his side as he said:" Cloud? Cloud Strife, the infantryman?" the blonde haired warrior glared stonily at him and said coldly:" _Former_ infantryman." It seemed Genesis had struck a nerve.

Nevertheless, he continued:" Why do I sense Sephiroth in you?" Cloud grimaced unpleasantly and sighed heavily, saying:" Because the bastard has control over me, to a degree. He…he's communicating with me through my thoughts."

Genesis didn't fully understand why, but he could already imagine it. He remembered now. He remembered hunting down Cloud because, after Sephiroth had supposedly "died", he was the only one with the S cells in him. Judging by the very light green tone in his blue mako eyes, his theory wasn't so farfetched either.

Zack's eyes suddenly widened, he turned abruptly to Genesis and asked:" Wait a minute! Why aren't you degrading?!" Genesis looked at him with a semi amused expression before he supplied helpfully:" Certainly you remember what I was telling you about the Gift of the Goddess."

"You mean…" Zack was in awe, no…that couldn't be! LOVELESS was just an epic which Genesis used to read and spend his whole life interpreting, as far as he remembered the last pages to LOVELESS, the Final Act, were never found.

Zack's gaze turned wary and guarded as he asked:" What happened to the three friends, Genesis?" he remembered vaguely Genesis having recited something again from the book, mentioning three friends in it. Back then he always imagined himself, Angeal and Sephiroth to be portraying those friends in the book.

Genesis' smile was almost sad as he looked upward at the blue sky with flecks of grey clouds, after a long, nerve-wracking silence Genesis spoke at long last:" Three friends head into battle. "The Hero", "The Traveler" and "The Prisoner". I've been meaning to try and reenact it, when my battle with you took place. I was hoping to obtain the cure for my degradation, the "gift". However, the battle has taught me something completely different…"

Both men waited patiently for the older one to continue and he did as he turned around to face them:" My battle with you Zack opened my eyes. It was not the Gift of the Goddess that had cured my degradation, it was the Lifestream. I finally realized what the Gift was all along. And it was you." He looked directly at Zack as he said this, the man's blue eyes widened in shock.

Wait…what? Pull back!

Zack shook his head and flailed with his arms, trying to make sense of Genesis cryptic words. The former SOLDIER regarded Genesis with a confused stare before he asked:" Me?! But, but how can _I_ be the "gift"? Why?" his words only caused him to become more confused, Cloud looked utterly lost.

"I haven't realized it back then, I always thought it was my destiny to become the hero…but I was wrong. I realized it was I who was the "Prisoner" all along, by carrying Angeal's words of wisdom, about honor and dreams, it forged you a hero for the future. At the beginning, the three friends may have been Angeal, Sephiroth and I but at the end it was you as the Hero, Angeal as the Wanderer and I as the Prisoner."

He took a deep breath and continued with a lighter tone:" You made me realize the fatal mistakes I have made, losing and betraying my friends this way. It may have been too late but to me, you were a hero Zack." A small smile graced Genesis' features.

The look he was giving Zack suggested he wasn't joking at all and that it was what the former First Class was truly thinking. And then it made somehow sense.

 _Would you say I became a hero?_

Zack didn't know when he had uttered that question, perhaps when he thought he had died at that cliff overlooking Midgar, but now his question made more sense to him. Zack looked at Cloud, who just stood there, his sword gripped loosely in his hand.

Then he looked at Zack and swallowed, his expression thoughtful as he carefully thought over everything Genesis just revealed to them. The blonde turned back to Genesis and asked him carefully:" So…who are the three friends now?" it was a valid question, one Zack had asked himself a few seconds ago to be honest.

Genesis scanned the youths features, he had never met Cloud face to face before, at least he thought he didn't or he simply couldn't remember, but he faintly remembered seeing his face in some files at HQ. He had matured to say the least, not just visually but the experienced former First Class recognized the look in his eye. It suggested he had seen his fair share of battles and tragedies.

Instead of answering him, Genesis turned his back to the two men, gazing calmly at the sky and looking at each passing cloud.

The two friends thought he wouldn't even answer them, until he suddenly spoke in a quiet tone:" Are you sure it is wise to be digging up the past again? The world may be in turmoil but I had learned long ago that trying to enact a story from a poem is not the answer to my problems, in fact it had worsened them, until I finally found salvation, after having sacrificed so much…" his tone turned somber at the end, as if he was remembering his past crimes right in front of his mind's eye.

With that he turned back around, facing them both. He sighed heavily and walked past Zack and Cloud, he spoke in a low voice before he headed back inside the bar:" I realized too late that the world was far too vast and dangerous for only one hero to protect and survive it. Back then I had wanted to be the only hero, but my pride and arrogance had terribly damaged the bond I had with my only friends and almost plunged me into madness. I believe it is too late to save Sephiroth, but don't let yourselves be separated by trying to play the role of a hero. Sephiroth has become stronger than he ever was, with the threat of Geostigma as well, I believe this world requires more than one hero to bring it salvation."

With that he left the two friends standing alone in front of the garage, near the bar. His words obviously having impacted them both enough to think carefully.

Zack and Cloud shared a long, meaningful look. They may have not talked in a long while, but their bond was still strong enough to enable them to understand each-other even without words.

"You know, while what Genesis said is true, I can't help but think what roles we would play as characters in LOVELESS. What do you think buddy?" Zack looked at Cloud for his opinion on his thoughts and the blonde gave it to him calmly:" I think, I know." The raven-haired man rose his eyebrows.

Cloud's gaze was clear and calm as he looked directly at Zack and answered:" Aerith would be the "Goddess", you would play "The Hero", Tifa would be "The Sacrifice" and I would be "The Wanderer"."

 **QUESTION: What did you think of the roles I gave to them as characters in LOVELESS? Fitting or would you change it? Tell me what you think guys! Why do you think I chose specifically THOSE roles for each of them?**


	32. My Friend do you fly away now?

**Hey guys! Back again with a new chapter! Feels good to have inspiration again! :D Enjoy!**

 ** _Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot, all rights (for Final Fantasy mentioned) go to Square Enix!_**

 **Chapter 32: My Friend do you fly away now?**

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Genesis released his wing and took to the skies.

His wing as opposed to Angeal's was as black as night, black…the color represented death, evil…Genesis hummed in thought and said to himself as he soared higher:" My friend…you were the only one with a pure heart, with no malicious intent as you protected your student and tried to save us from plunging into madness…"

As he was flying he suddenly felt another presence beside him, he looked to his right and-

"Stop blaming yourself Genesis, the past is the past." The deep, familiar voice of his deceased friend scolded him.

"Angeal…?" it was him alright, First Class SOLDIER armor, dark, short hair, blue mako eyes and that friendly but serious face staring back at him. Genesis managed a small, sorrowful smile.

"That's unlike you Genesis, you always hold your head high, with pride, your eyes always burned with the same ferocity you meet your foes in battle. Now, your eyes are filled with sorrow and guilt whereas you have nothing to feel guilty of." Genesis grit his teeth and spoke in a quiet, almost broken whisper:" Angeal…it was I that has created suffering. Because of me you almost lost your student, Sephiroth has engulfed himself in madness and you, my friend, found an end most tragic at the hands of your own student…"

His head was directed at the ground, all seemed so small from his viewpoint high above. Humans were so powerless, so small in comparison to the large power Shinra held over the world…

"You're wrong Genesis." Angeal's voice broke him of his dark thoughts, he was flying closer to him now, his magnificent, white wings steadily beating against the wind. "We all made the wrong choices we admonish ourselves for later, maybe even for the rest of our lives, but we have to move on from what's past.

It all started with Shinra to begin with, not you, Sephiroth or anyone else. Shinra grew too greedy for power, they thought they could play us like pawns if they use us in wars to their own benefit. Sephiroth, you and I knew the companies secrets but we remained loyal for fear of being killed by our own, in the end that's what happened, at least in a sense speaking.

They withheld Sephiroth's true heritage for fear he would betray them, they subjected us to experiments to see if they could create the "super" SOLDIER that Shinra always wanted to control. Sephiroth couldn't believe that his…mother was truly Jenova, a abomination from a different universe, a completely different life force. And she isn't."

Genesis's eyes snapped to his friend's in shock, wait…. _what_?

"Jenova…. _isn't_ Sephiroth's mother?" Genesis almost choked on his bewildered question, but how? Sephiroth himself said it, according to what the pup told him, he had been researching for _hours_ in the manor in Nibelheim to find his heritage.

Angeal's face grew more serious and a frown etched itself into his handsome features, he shook his head and replied steadily:" No, she isn't. Once you're a part of the Lifestream you meet interesting people that have long since ceased to exist in this world." His redhead friend processed his words carefully, his blue eyes widened slightly as he whispered:" You…met his _real_ parents?"

"His mother to be exact, her name is Lucretia Crescent. She used to be a scientist working for Shinra, at the time they tried creating the super SOLDIER, so they implanted Jenova cells into her womb when Sephiroth was just an infant." Mouth closing and opening in disbelief, Genesis quietly, as if afraid of the answer, asked:" You saw only his mother…that means…his father…"

"Isn't dead." Angeal revealed curtly and a tense, uncomfortable silence followed between the two friends.

"Who is it Angeal?" he had to know, he had to warn Zack and the others. Maybe Sephiroth _could_ be saved after all. If he knew that his _real_ parents weren't monsters at all then-

"It's Hojo." The Red Commander's veins froze as if someone cast a Blizzaga right inside his body, his eyes froze in their widened state, uncomprehending. He quickly shook his head and regained height as his momentary shock made him lose focus on flying.

Genesis stared at Angeal, before he growled lowly:" _What?!_ " Genesis suspected having _Hojo_ of all _things_ as a father was even worse than a foreign, destructive alien who tried taking over the world at some point in history.

"I think Sephiroth can't be saved." It meant to lighten the mood, but both men knew it was too late for jokes now. He couldn't believe it…how would he be able to tell _that_ to the others?

Angeal shook his head at his friend's antics, he placed a hand, which surprisingly _felt_ alive, on his shoulder, the familiar weight and warmth calming Genesis' slightly scrambled mind. He shot a brief, grateful look at him and Angeal nodded.

"I was hoping that knowing Sephiroth's real parents would save him but…Hojo is a problem…" Genesis ran a hand through his hair, all this information making him annoyed and frustrated. Angeal chuckled, it wasn't hollow but also not full of the familiar friendliness and warmth it used to hold either.

Angeal grinned encouragingly as he said with a warm undertone:" I'm sure you will know what to do. For now we must part ways Genesis." The redhead's look seemed sad and he closed his eyes to will the onslaught of what felt like moisture gathering in them.

"Three friends head into battle…what happened to those friends, Angeal?" he shook his head, the times when all three of them were as close as kin swimming in his mind, when they would sneak out into the training grounds after the Seconds finished, how they would occasionally play pranks on the newly promoted Seconds, go all out in missions and have a good laugh after they were done…

All those memories seemed like a lifetime ago…

Angeal and Genesis both stopped flying, righting themselves as they looked at each-other. Angeal grinned at him and looked up at the sky as he said in a much lighter, almost peaceful voice:" Well, you said the last act, the Final Act, was never found was it?" he immediately knew Angeal was talking about LOVELESS.

"Yes." He rose a quizzical eyebrow, where was he going with this? However the man continued as his gaze returned to his friend:" That means the end may not be as near as you may think, old friend. You've spent the majority of your life interpreting LOVELESS, but have you thought that _we_ ourselves can change the ending however we want to? There is still time Genesis, use it wisely, before the last page is written."

With those surprisingly cryptic words, from Angeal no less, the spirit of his friend vanished in a flutter of pure white feathers.

Genesis gently caught on between his gloved thumb and forefinger, slowly turning it in his hand as he whispered:" Is it too late to write the last act my friend? Or have we been damned from the start?" he looked up at the sky, as if searching for the answers to the questions Angeal has caused to develop.

Instead of lessening his burden, Angeal's cryptic words only seemed to make more questions arise.

Nevertheless, he had to warn everyone of his new discovery. With one final look up at the sky where he knew his deceased friend was looking down at him and watching over them all, he smiled a genuine, soft smile and closed his eyes.

The white feather dropped from his light grip, slowly falling to the ground beneath him.

"I have confidence…that Zack and his friends will defeat the threat. They carry the blessings of the Goddess with them after all." With that, he made his way back to Seventh Heaven, feeling Angeal's parting words and spirit give him strength he had thought he long since lost.

* * *

"Do you know when Sephiroth will take control again?" Tifa asked softly, looking at her tired childhood friend, who was resting one arm against the bar counter while he nursed his drink with the other.

The blonde slowly shook his head, his eyes distant as he thought about the First Classes words before he went inside the bar.

"Hey buddy, you ok?" Zack was worried, everyone could see it, Cloud hummed, acknowledging his question but giving no direct answer. It was frustrating Zack.

Tifa tried to diffuse the potential conflict rise between them as she stood up and announced:" I will check on the kids, they must be scared after what they heard." Before she could place her foot on the first step of the stairs both Cloud and Zack stood up at the same time and said:" I'll go."

The room fell silent.

Both men looked at each-other in confusion and bewilderment. Tifa blinked. Yuffie gripped the table so hard that she was only half aware that it could break beneath her force, this was getting _interesting_.

The brunette could _feel_ the tension rising so she quickly said:" Umm, Z-Zack! I think I just heard Denzel calling you." Zack tore his gaze away from Cloud and said:" Oh, uh, right. I'm coming buddy!" Zack called to upstairs, though he saw through Tifa's trick.

He followed behind Tifa as they both walked up to check on how Marlene and Denzel were doing.

Cloud stood rooted to the spot, his body feeling as if he had gotten paralyzed. The silence in the room was long, until Yuffie spoke up:" Hey, Cloud?" the former infantryman snapped out of his shock and slowly, almost shakily sat back down on the stool.

His voice was small, quiet, as he asked:" When did it become this…bad?" Yuffie seemed taken aback by the question. She knew what he was referring to of course and she gave him her answer with a snappy:" Ugh, stop being sooo depressed! I call Sephiroth _bad_! This _isn't_ bad Cloud! Aren't ya happy your SOLDIER friend is back alive and kickin'?!"

Cloud's gaze narrowed and he sighed heavily, running his hand through his spiky blonde hair. He answered her after a moment:" Of course, I am. It's just…after I abandoned them…Tifa barely looked at me…and Marlene and Denzel aren't as happy to see me…" Yuffie looked at the depressed, broken man before her.

He was telling the truth, she could see it as well. Alone when she was present during Zack and Tifa's training, Denzel's eyes shone with admiration and awe for Zack, his hero. Marlene was also very familiar with Zack, he also called her princess occasionally, it caused Yuffie to remember a peaceful time when her father had also called her his princess…

She shook her head and refocused on the present. She sighed and leaned on her hands back as she said in a exasperated, yet soft tone:" What do you expect Cloud? You were gone for a year, you left without warning too. It was bad enough with Denzel suffering from Geostigma, you left Tifa alone with two orphans to take care of and run a bar by herself.

You did send them occasionally money from your deliveries but since you had stopped taking them after a while, they scraped by somehow. Barret, Vince, Cid and me helped them of course but we had our own duties to do too. I went to visit them one time you know…"

Cloud released his head from his hands and looked at Yuffie curiously, the pain getting stronger in his blue eyes.

"Tifa was in a bad shape. She hadn't slept in a while, she kept leaving you voice mails and messages but you never answered. At one point, she thought you were dead. She was exhausted, hell she looked like a zombie! Even Vince looked better when he was pulled out from that coffin thingy of his! Anyway, Marlene and Denzel were really worried too and Tifa had no more excuses to tell them of why you weren't back yet.

She…didn't give up, she was strong, stronger than any of us. But she was tired Cloud, so very tired. She wasn't even sure if you would ever come back. It hit her hard because she liked you a lot ever since you were kids. Can't say I blame her."

The blonde rose an eyebrow at Yuffie's sudden hostility towards him, she snorted and crossed her arms. She stood up and before she left the bar she turned to him and said:" Zack's a really good guy, the best I've met so far. He's like a healing materia to Tifa and the kids, I wouldn't be surprised if they already accepted him into their hearts and he them in his. Zack was there when Tifa actually needed a hero, Cloud. But you weren't."

With that the front door of Seventh Heaven slammed harshly shut. The silence in the room was almost suffocating.

 **Cliffhanger! :D Reviews are very much appreciated, thanks for reading!**


	33. The Burden I carry & The Woman you love

**IMPORTANT READ PLEASE : As you guys may have noticed, I wrote in the early chapters that Zack is 25 and then in one chapter (I think it was in "Following the Trails of the Dead" after Tifa got injured from a Shadow Creeper) that he is 28, I'm terribly sorry about that. Zack is officially 25 years old here! I'll correct the mistake as soon as I can so it won't confuse you!**

 **Chapter 33: The burden I carry & The Woman you love**

* * *

Zack's eyes narrowed as he heard the front door slam shut, before he could investigate, Marlene gripped his hand tightly.

He turned to look at her, then knelt down and picked her up, carrying her back over to the bed next to Tifa and Denzel.

"Were you guys scared?" he asked softly while gently patting her head.

Denzel gripped his pants leg and Marlene only buried her face further into his chest, causing Zack to grip her tighter and grip Denzel's hand firmly.

"We saw the man in the red coat…what did he want?" Denzel mumbled into Tifa's shirt, his voice small and slightly scared.

Zack and Tifa shared a look before Tifa explained in a soft, soothing voice:" He's an old friend of Zack and Cloud, you have nothing to worry about. He's on our side. Right Zack?" she offered him a smile as she held Denzel close to her.

The raven haired man smiled and set Marlene down on the bed so she was facing them both, he rubbed her hair playfully with a wide grin and said deceptively cheerful:" Yeah! He's a really strong and good friend of ours. I'm sorry he scared you guys like that, but don't worry we already told him he should knock next time he comes visiting. Alright?"

Despite their young age, both knew something was amiss. They didn't entirely believe them when they said he was an "old friend", an old friend surely wouldn't cause an explosion when people could get hurt, right?

Not to mention, they saw Cloud fighting the man before Tifa pulled the curtains aside to cover the window and prevent them from seeing the brief battle outside.

Both heaved a heavy sigh and nodded their heads, Zack frowned and kneeled down on the floor to their eye level, he said softly, seriously:" Hey Denzel, Marlene…how about we go for a walk later? Maybe we could stop by Aaron's and steal some of his old spare parts huh? You know how mad he gets when he can't find his precious screwdriver anywhere." He offered them a genuine grin this time, ruffling their heads affectionately with a tender smile.

Marlene and Denzel looked at each-other, then at Tifa in question.

She giggled and responded lightly:" I could come too you know, I don't have to run the bar today." Marlene and Denzel beamed up at her.

Zack's grin only grew at the news and the mood in the room brightened considerably yet the mention of Genesis dampened Tifa's and Zack's spirits a bit.

With one last pat and kiss to the cheek, Zack and Tifa left the kids to themselves. Before Zack could descend the stairs and see who left earlier, Tifa grabbed his hand and suddenly stirred him into the direction of her room.

With wide, surprised eyes Zack followed, as if his feet had a mind of their own and only his mind froze and ceased to function.

Uhh… _why_ was Tifa leading him into her room? Not that he had any… of _those_ thoughts on his mind but he was curious what compelled her to just take his hand and lead him without a word into her private room, which he entered only once and that was an emergency when Tifa had been wounded by that Shadow Creeper.

Back then he had no _time_ to take in her room really.

Well…now was as good time as any, though he stayed alert and braced himself for whatever the hell Tifa had in store for him.

Once inside her room, tastily decorated might he add to himself, her bed was large but not overly so with a deep red comforter, a white pillow, a night desk with two pictures, one of AVALANCHE and the other with Cloud, Tifa and the kids. She also had the ring representing Fenrir, the "cloudy wolf". Simple curtains, a small desk in the corner, three neat piles of what he assumed was paperwork and bills for the bar and Cloud's delivery service.

Zack's eyebrows shot to his hairline when he heard her lock her door securely.

"Uhh…"he said dumbly, mentally cursing his very eloquent word choice in this situation.

" So the kids don't hear us." Said Tifa simply, not noticing his alerted look.

Okay… _now_ his alarm bells were ringing. He had to say something before his head exploded with all sorts of scenarios.

"Uhh…hear _what_ exactly Teef?" he didn't know when he adopted to sometimes calling her by her nickname but she didn't mind, at least she never said so or indicated she was cross with him for calling her that on occasion.

She sighed and sat herself on her bed, which was large but not overly so, enough for two people if they squeezed together.

" _Back off Fair, slow down boy. Bad thoughts, bad thoughts! You DO NOT think of how big her bed is for two people! Bad puppy!"_ of course, he just made an innocent observation but it seemed that tiny, annoying voice in his head wouldn't let him off the hook so easily.

He briefly wondered when he actually started calling himself "puppy" but then Tifa beckoned him to sit next to her. He took a deep breath and sat himself ramrod straight on her bed, making some space between them.

He inwardly groaned at his awkward behavior, he was behaving like a high schooler having his first crush! Then again…when he was _supposed_ to be a high schooler in school, he was in SOLDIER, Second Class if he remembered right. What would he know how high schoolers react to their crushes? He reasoned it was just a gut feeling.

His attention refocused back on Tifa, she sighed heavily and said in a serious tone:" Zack…do you mind sharing your thoughts with me about…something?" she averted her gaze briefly before meeting his mako blue eyes again.

Zack felt a small wave of relief and unease wash over him at the same time as he analyzed Tifa's troubled expression, the way she was fumbling with her fingers in distress, her tense posture and her eyes – which usually shone with a warmth and strength sometimes he questioned if he himself possessed – were now full of concern and something akin to fear.

What could she possibly be afraid of? She was a strong woman, mentally and physically. She was able to even give him a run for his money, a former First Class. She fought against Shadow Creepers alone. He was sure her strength was greater than what she briefly showed him in their little spar session.

Quite possibly equal to his own, while he had mako in his body and the training as a First Class SOLDIER, Tifa didn't have any mako. But for that, she had years of training with Zangan, a master of the martial arts not to be underestimated in battle.

His answer was almost immediate:" Of course not, what's wrong Tifa?" his tone grew more serious, various thoughts running through his mind on why she was so distressed and worried.

And then with one name, everything clicked into place:" It's about Cloud." He should have known, honestly, he should have. Cloud was her childhood friend after all, her hero, her close friend.

He was his best friend too, one he risked his life to save. It should have been obvious from the start.

He cleared his throat and tugged slightly at his black turtleneck saying:" Yeah, I…figured as much…what about him?" he didn't like the way Tifa grew even more nervous and worried, if possible.

"You know Cloud is suffering from Geostigma and Sephiroth still has control over him, we don't know how advanced his Geostigma is. Zack what if he-" Zack did the only thing he could think of at the moment to comfort and reassure her.

He placed his hands firmly on her shoulders and leaned in slightly, he said while looking into her eyes:" He won't Tifa. He's strong, you should trust him more, he will pull through. I'll make sure he will, now that he decided to stay and fight on our side, we will take care of him and make sure nothing serious happens."

Tifa's gaze lowered as she quietly said, her shoulders sagging:" But Zack…what if the remnants actually manage to revive Sephiroth? Maybe he will really take over the world like Jenova…"

Zack sat back and thought for a long time, the silence heavy around them.

"You're worried he will leave again, aren't you?" he watched her carefully as he worded his question, the anticipation rising as Tifa took long to answer and confirm his suspicions.

"No…I know he will leave again. Please understand Zack, I've been in love with a man who kept running away, who left me with Marlene and Denzel for a whole year and even then he kept leaving every now and then. After I found out he was practically living in the church, I just…I guess I was too hurt to stop him anymore…if he wanted to see Aerith, I didn't want to stand in his way."

"Tifa…" Zack whispered quietly, he sighed heavily, his usually straight, proud shoulders slumping in defeat…tiredness…he didn't know anymore. He felt like he had more than 26 years of his life behind him.

Running a hand through his spiky mane, he gently pulled Tifa into a one armed hug, letting her rest her head against the hollow of his throat while he soothingly rubbed her back.

"I know it really doesn't change anything or improve the situation, but I'm sorry…I never knew Cloud could be this way…he was so different when he was in SOLDIER…" it was the truth, back then he was shy, sweet, the kind of guy you would entrust your pretty daughter to take her home without expecting him to have any second thoughts because he was just too innocent and honor bound.

Well, war changed people, death changed people… he could only imagine how traumatized Cloud was from that mako addiction he had suffered and then witnessing his best friend "dying" before his very eyes.

He would have gotten on the wrong path as well…but Cloud had all these wonderful people to support and help him…

"He will come around Teef. I know it doesn't look that way now, maybe even not in the near future, but he will come around and return home again. I just know it. He has you, the kids, AVALANCHE…with people like that even the worst criminals turn kind."

Tifa slowly smiled when she looked at Zack's warm, soft smile directed at her, his blue gaze reassuring her and easing her nerves as she took a deep breath.

Everything was peaceful, until…

The door slammed shut. _A second time._

Zack's previously warm gaze turned sharp and alert in an instant, all the years and hard training in SOLDIER teaching him to be on guard instantly, whether sleepy or not, his instincts always kicked in.

He stood up and quickly walked out of Tifa's room and down the steps, ripping the door open and seeing Cloud mount Fenrir once again.

"Cloud what the hell are you doing man!? I thought we talked about this!" he shouted to his friend, stopping a few steps away from the monstrous bike.

Cloud's cold, stony glare turned to Zack, it made chills run down his spine.

"There's only room for one hero in this story and everyone knows the devil doesn't get to be the good guy." He fixed Zack with such a cold, apathetic glare that it reminded him of someone else.

Someone with the same cat-like green mako eyes that Cloud now showed.

"But I'm not a hero Cloud!" Zack desperately willed his friend to understand, what was he thinking?! Leaving like that again!? Wait…his eyes…cat-like slits…

"Sephiroth! I know you're controlling Cloud!" Zack shouted, one hand going to the hilt of the buster sword, his gaze serious and almost angry.

Cloud's voice was the same, but he certainly didn't sound like himself.

"Oh? Zack Fair, was it? I thought you have sacrificed yourself to save your friend? How foolish." Sephiroth taunted as he controlled what Cloud was saying. Tifa cupped a hand over her mouth and made her other hand into a tight fist.

"What are you planning Sephiroth?! Taking over the world? You're not a god! Not even god rules over this planet!" Zack saw Cloud's eyes, Sephiroth's eyes, flash in anger at his words.

"My mother attempted the same, until you fell her. Nobody can stand up to a god, god is immortal. _I'm_ immortal Zack." Sephiroth's voice sent a cold chill down Tifa's spine, which made her only strengthen her fist.

Zack grit his teeth in frustration, he didn't know how to help Cloud. If Sephiroth was controlling his mind what could he do to break that control? Distract him? Try to trick him? Beat him up?

He briefly glanced at Tifa, he alone was enough to stand up to Cloud but he had no idea if Sephiroth was able to actually transfer a portion or even his whole power to Cloud while having control over him.

" _I have to know if he's controlling Cloud's body too! But how?"_

A small, faint smirk grew on his lips as Zack finally thought of a plan. This should work…it was quite risky but it _should_ work.

"Tifa! Stay back and don't interfere alright?" he shouted out to Tifa, but before she could offer a confused and enraged retort, Zack was already moving.

Instead of drawing his sword, he swung a fist towards Cloud's face, which he successfully blocked but Zack left an obvious opening to his side, on purpose.

" _C'mon Cloud. I know you're in there buddy! I trust you!"_ Zack braced himself and he was in for a surprise. His blue eyes widened in shock as he felt a rough push at his side, creating some distance between the two warriors again.

"Zack!" Tifa cried out in worry, running towards Zack's side to see if he was injured from Cloud's blow.

"Wait!" Zack extended a hand to block Tifa's path, making her look incredulously at him.

" _He didn't…what the-?"_ Zack slowly straightened himself again, eyeing Cloud warily, until he realized it.

Cloud's eyes briefly flickered from green to blue again but it was as quickly gone as it had come.

"Cloud! I know you're in there! You didn't punch me, you just pushed me away with your open hand! I know you have some control, fight it Cloud! You beat Sephiroth once didn't you? You're stronger than him come on!" Zack waited with baited breath as Cloud suddenly stilled, not even Sephiroth was voicing his thoughts.

Cloud had tried to protect Zack by pushing him away enough to create some distance between them, so that Sephiroth wouldn't hurt him if Cloud's control slipped.

Zack tensed when Cloud suddenly reached a hand back to unsheathe his large sword, he could see his grip was trembling as Cloud fought for control, but it seemed he lost that battle.

He could see Cloud was preparing to fire a blast of energy from his sword, directly at Tifa.

Zack acted quick on his feet, he jumped just as Cloud sent the destructive force of energy toward Tifa, grabbing her and rolling on the ground until they stopped with him above her, protectively shielding her with his body in case Cloud tried something.

"Ngghh Zack? Zack! Are you alright?" Tifa gently grabbed his face and scanned him for any signs of injuries.

The former SOLDIER grinned down at her and reassured her with a smile:" Don't worry Teef, I'm fine."

Zack quickly wrapped his whole body protectively around Tifa as Cloud prepared another attack.

"ZACK!" Tifa shouted in worry and fear as his grip on her tightened even further.

Everything happened so fast, yet at the same time Tifa felt as if time went into slow motion.

She could feel Zack's faster heartbeat, he was scared, scared for her safety. She felt how her own accelerated pulse was pounding in her ears, her breath was caught in her throat, she felt like she was unable to breathe from how tight Zack was holding her to him.

Her fear only grew as the anticipation for Cloud's attack dragged on, for a moment she felt Zack tense up but then…

Zack had expected to receive the full brunt of Cloud's attack but he felt nothing, he only heard a loud, heavy thud, from a body falling to the ground.

He opened his eyes, trying to feel if he _did_ get attacked but was in too much shock to feel the pain, when he focused on his senses again he felt no pain at all.

He looked down at Tifa in his arms, tightly clutching his sweater with her eyes squeezed shut and her face buried in his chest.

"Tifa…hey Tifa." The woman slowly opened her eyes and released her death grip on him, looking slowly up at him, her eyes full of worry and fear for his well-being.

"Nothing…happened…" she realized with a start as Zack released her and they both stood up quickly, turning around to see what happened to Cloud.

He was knocked out cold.

Genesis was standing behind him, Zack realized he must have hit him hard with the back of his rapier against his head.

The man in the red coat sighed deeply and looked at Zack and Tifa. "I see my old friend is experimenting using puppets this time." He looked emotionlessly at Cloud's still form.

Zack walked over to them and checked Cloud's head for any bleeding, thankfully Genesis controlled his strength to only knock him out for the time being.

"Where the hell were you?! We really could have used your help!" he shot the older man a glare, but the redhead brushed it off and instead crossed his arms.

"I was speaking with Angeal and I found something of utmost interest to your friend and Sephiroth." His voice was soft at mentioning his deceased friend but the edge in his tone returned upon mentioning Sephiroth.

"With Angeal…? What…what were you talking about?" his mentor talked to him? Like he did with Zack? Tifa only listened curiously as Genesis started explaining.

" Angeal told me who Sephiroth's _real_ parents are. He met her in the Lifestream personally. It was a scientist that previously worked for Shinra, her name was Lucretia Crescent."

"What about his father?" this time it was Tifa who asked, walking over to the two men.

Genesis' expression changed, a frown marring his handsome features as Zack rose an eyebrow at the odd reaction to the mention of Sephiroth's real father.

"Sephiroth's father is… Hojo."

Zack's entire body froze and almost convulsed, he felt bile rising in his throat at the mention of the sick twisted scientist which preformed all sorts of experiments on people and SOLDIERs without caring about his patients, or "test subjects" as he liked calling them.

" _Hojo_?! Wha- but…but how is that possible?! That can't be!" Zack ran a hand down his face, his eyes wide and his face showing his disbelief at the bizarre discovery.

Tifa's lips formed a thin line as her expression turned sour and grim, she heard about Hojo, Zack had talked about him briefly but she could only imagine how bad he was at the reaction from both Genesis and Zack.

"We need to talk." And Genesis couldn't agree more.

* * *

"How did Angeal know Hojo was Sephiroth's father? How did he know _Jenova_ isn't his mother? Why didn't he tell us anything before?" Zack was desperate to know, his mind was all scrambled.

Cloud was upstairs in his office/room, resting. It would be a matter of time when he would wake up, Tifa was sitting next to Zack on a stool, the two adults facing Genesis as he kept pacing back and forth slowly.

"Angeal said that he met Sephiroth's mother in the Lifestream, Lucretia Crescent, a former scientist working for Shinra. While pregnant with Sephiroth, they experimentally infused Jenova's cells into her in order to create the perfect, super SOLDIER. The result: the Sephiroth we see today." He turned away, his hands clasped behind his back, his jaw set tight.

"But…you said Hojo was his father…how could…how could he do this to his own son?! His own wife?! How could he do such dangerous experiments while not knowing of the consequences?!" Zack was seething as he tried getting some answers, he was sure his knuckles were turning white beneath his black gloves.

Genesis smirked, a hollow, bitter tilt of the corners of his lips, before he slowly turned around and regarded Zack.

"You know as well as I do what Hojo is capable of doing for the sake of his experiments. He never cared for people, he cared for results and results he received. He must have caught wind of Sephiroth plunging into madness. He also must know he is alive." His eyes narrowed as the bar once again fell quiet.

"Wait, if he knows that means he is somewhere in Edge right?" the two men looked at her in mild confusion, "If I were a mad scientist I wouldn't let my subject be unsupervised, lest something may go wrong. He must be here in Edge and actively planning Sephiroth's revival."

"The remnants." Genesis nodded, his gaze directed outside, "They surely must be in alliance with Hojo, if we find the remnants we may as well find Hojo. The only problem is, how do we track them down? They are a constantly moving target."

"Easy, we plant a tracker on Cloud." Zack said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, a grin starting to form on his face as he retrieved something from his breast pocket.

Before Tifa could voice her opinion on the weird idea, Zack suddenly held up a small, square-like device, black in color and seemingly made of metal.

"Since Cloud wears all black, it wouldn't be noticeable on his clothing. If Sephiroth takes control of him again, he would send him back to their hideout right? Or rather, _Hojo_ would issue the command." Zack grinned in triumph at his plan.

" I highly doubt Hojo would be the one pulling the strings behind the puppet, Zack. Despite Sephiroth's state of mind he is infinitely more powerful than Hojo and his resentment towards him hasn't changed. But I share your thoughts on the matter, it would be wise implanting a tracking device on Strife so we know his exact location and finally kill Hojo."

Tifa bit her lip in worry, her eyes glancing at the stairs, her thoughts on the man currently sleeping in his office.

Zack noticed Tifa's distressed demeanor and leaned closer to her, placing a comforting, warm arm around her, pulling her closer to his side. Tifa blinked in surprise at the sudden but welcome gesture.

"It will be alright. If we get rid of Hojo maybe there is still a chance for Sephiroth to be saved…"

Tifa tightened her hands into fists in her lap as she quietly admitted:" I…don't want Sephiroth to be saved…he…he burned down my village, killed my father, killed thousands of other innocent people…what could possibly convince me to save him Zack?"

Zack's expression softened at Tifa's confession, he sighed heavily. "You said it yourself, everyone deserves a second chance don't they? You gave Denzel a second chance too, even if he has Geostigma. You gave Cloud more than a handful of second chances, didn't you?"

Tifa suddenly broke away from him and stood up, her expression showing how angry she was at his words.

"You can't compare a little, helpless child with a madman Zack!" Tifa shouted in rage, not believing how Zack could possibly think she would actually forgive Sephiroth for his horrible sins.

Zack also stood up, towering over her as he countered in a level voice:" But I _can_ compare two men who have lost everything dear to them Tifa! The difference is one lost himself to madness and the other is in the process of doing the same if we don't do something about it!"

Genesis was leaning against the wall, quietly observing the duo. As silent as a mouse, he left the bar area, opting to head outside and wait the fight out. This was quickly turning to something he was well aware wasn't meant for his ears so he decided to give them some privacy.

Tifa didn't know what to say, her hands were balled into tight, shaking fists at her side. Tears were glistening in the corner of her eyes as she quietly asked:" Tell me Zack – what would you do to save Cloud?"

Zack shook his head, briefly turning away from Tifa to run a hand through his spiky hair before turning back around and looking her in the eye.

"I would do anything in my power and beyond to save him, you know that. I did once and I would do so again. You can't just give up because the situation seems hopeless Tifa."

"I didn't give up Zack, not yet. I just…I just think Cloud doesn't want to be saved." Her gaze traveled to the floor, observing the old, wooden floorboards.

"He wants to be forgiven Tifa. But he can't forgive himself."

"Why?" Tifa raised a curious eyebrow at that.

"He thinks he's unworthy…" Zack looked off to the side, a frown on his face.

"And how do you know that Zack?" she asked the former SOLDIER, her tone softening again.

"Because…I used to feel that way too…" he sent her a long, meaningful look before he cleared his throat, "Give him time."

"I try Zack…" Tifa sighed heavily and hugged herself, Zack frowned and moved close to her.

"Tifa I-"

" Zack, Tifa." Both adults looked up only to see Cloud on the steps, resting a hand on the wall for support. He looked awfully pale, paler than usually.

"Cloud." Zack moved to the stairs as Cloud descended them, standing next to Zack now. "How are you feeling hm?"

"Hungry…" Cloud sighed heavily, wincing when he felt his Geostigma acting up a little.

Zack's eyes narrowed at the sign of discomfort, Tifa shared a worried look with him before she disappeared into the kitchen to make supper. This time Zack didn't come.

"Cloud, there is something I have to tell you." Cloud looked at Zack with a mixture of weariness and alarm but nonetheless sat opposite of him at a table when the older man motioned to sit.

"Listen, Cloud. Genesis told us something concerning Sephiroth's true heritage, he said he talked with Angeal or err…his spirit from the Lifestream. Jenova _isn't_ mother."

Blue eyes widened in shock, "Then…who is?"

Before Zack could answer him he heard the distant roars of motorcycles, three to be exact, heading straight for-

The bar.

Zack sprang up, quickly unsheathing his buster sword.

"Cloud, get ready we have company." Cloud immediately stood up and unsheathed his sword as well, they saw Genesis was calmly observing the approaching trio from a distance though his hand was resting on the hilt of his sword.

Zack and Cloud both ran outside to confront the threat, they wouldn't get anywhere _near_ Tifa or the kids.

" Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return." Genesis' rapier glowed red with magic as the remnants drew closer.

Zack's eyes narrowed in anger at the sight of the remnants, his instincts telling him to protect Tifa and the kids at all costs.

 _Embrace your dreams and whatever happens protect your honor._

Those words echoed in Zack's mind as he brandished his sword and moved in to charge with a mighty battle cry that may as well have made the ground tremble beneath his feet.

 **I hope everyone enjoyed this! Please read and review! Tell me what you like, what could be better and what you don't like! :D**


	34. The Calm after the Storm

**Chapter 34: The Calm after the Storm**

* * *

Zack let out a battle cry as he jumped over Kadaj's upcoming motorcycle and deflected a bullet from Yazoo, flinging his gun away with the flat blade and managing to push him off his bike to the ground.

He quickly turned around at Cloud's warning call to narrowly dodge Loz's electrifying punch, the silver haired man smirked and said:" You lied to us, bad little SOLDIER. You have Mother."

Zack growled and slammed his elbow against his jaw _hard_ hearing a certain bone breaking before kicking him away. Next he helped Cloud engage Kadaj while Genesis faced off against Yazoo.

"How unfortunate. It seems like you lied to us, Zack Fair. You do have our precious Mother." His eyes glowed in that sickening green that reminded him of Nibelheim, mako and a mad Sephiroth.

"I told you that I don't have it!" Zack tried doing a downward slash but the fast remnant dodged it to the side and performed a flurry of attacks against Cloud, who parried them just so.

"We heard all the little details from our big brother personally" the evil smirk Kadaj wore only made Zack feel more uneasy, if possible.

A look of surprise briefly flashed in Cloud's eyes before anger took over his features again, "I haven't told you anything." The fight seemed to momentarily stop as Kadaj grinned smugly.

"Oh but you did, big brother. Don't you remember? Shall I refresh your memory?" he raised a hand and enclosed it into a fist slowly, almost immediately, Cloud gripped his head and fell to his knees in pain, his eyes flickering rapidly between blue and green.

"Cloud! Hang in there!" when Zack went to intercept he was punched in the side by Loz, electrical shocks momentarily stunning him as he fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Genesis had readied a spell with is rapier but a bullet grazed his shoulder making him glare at the frowning remnant on the ground, continuously firing bullets at him.

"Brother watch out!" a well-placed, powerful kick sent the remnant leader flying. With that, Cloud's Geostigma stopped throbbing and his eyes returned to their normal blue color.

"T-Tifa?" he slowly, shakily stood up, looking at the pugilist as she lowered her leg.

"Did you think I was going to sit this one out too?" she glared as she dodged a bullet from Yazoo and kicked Loz away, who began to approach Zack's form on the ground.

Tifa quickly rushed to Zack and helped him up, he coughed and used her briefly for support as he shook off the effects of the electricity still shooting up and down his spine.

"Thanks Teef." He smiled at her and raised his sword again, while Tifa pressed her back against his and raised her fists.

"Interesting…that woman is here. In fact, didn't we send a letter saying something about taking away the barmaid and those orphans, dear brothers?" Kadaj's smirk widened in sick glee at the prospect of torturing his targets.

In response, a low, deep growl erupted from Zack and he covered Tifa with his body and the large buster sword.

"You're only getting to them over my dead body." He spat out, narrowing his blue eyes.

"That can be arranged." Kadaj closed in on him, his katana clashing harshly with the larger blade.

A bolt of lightning caused Kadaj to jump away from Zack, Genesis was flying above the ground just so. His handsome face contorted into an expression of anger as he sent continuous fireballs and lightning bolts at them.

"I cannot believe how much of a coward Sephiroth has become. Did Hojo really cause you to lose your pride and sense of honor to stoop so low as to abduct women and children now, dear Sephiroth?" Genesis spoke in a mocking, bitter tone laced heavily with disgust.

Kadaj grew _very_ angry at the mockery, immediately charging up at Genesis. But he easily parried with his rapier, sending forth a burst of flames to dangerously lick at Kadaj as the remnant extinguished the flames with a wide swipe of his katana.

"How dare you insult Sephiroth and Hojo!? Perhaps I shall take your life and then torture the barmaid and the child-" before he could finish his threat he was brutally punched and kicked repeatedly by Zack and Cloud, who moved almost in sync with each-other.

Tifa intervened before Loz could help his brother, kicking him high in the air and trading fists and kicks with him.

Genesis smirked and swooped in to distract Yazoo, taking note of how both Zack and Cloud's level of protectiveness and aggressiveness grew when the children and Tifa were threatened.

Genesis frowned when he saw Cloud's movements slowing suspiciously until they completely stopped.

Zack was too busy fighting Kadaj to notice Cloud's odd behavior.

The former First's blue eyes widened when he saw Cloud place the sword horizontally, aiming for Zack's midsection.

"Fair!" Zack pushed Kadaj away but it was too late to block Cloud's strike.

 _Cloud…_

 _His best friend looked him dead in the eye, a strong killing intent shining in his blue eyes. Clear blue. Cloud moved closer and whispered:" It's only fair, isn't it Zack? You took everything from me, so you deserve to die by my hand." Cloud twisted the sword a little, tearing Zack's insides apart. He should have been long dead, why was he still conscious and alive?_

 _"_ _C-C-Cloud…I t-thought…I…"_

 _"_ _Thought what? That you're still my friend after stealing my family? Sephiroth was right, I should have killed you long ago._ _ **Traitor**_ _!"_

Images from his nightmare flashed before Zack's eyes just as he caught dark brown hair swishing in front of him and a grunt followed by a loud thud a minute later.

He didn't blink, but his eyes didn't stray from the sight of Tifa's leg still high in the air, Cloud's sword far away on the ground and the man himself on the ground a few steps away from Zack, holding his aching head.

His eyes didn't change.

They were still a deep green. A venomous, angry green.

Time seemed to stop still. The battle that raged on just a few moments ago stopped.

Kadaj surveyed the situation before he said with a wave of his hand:" Come with us big brother. It seems we need to gather our strength, because next time there will be captives travelling with us."

As if a switch was turned in Zack's mind, he immediately moved in front of Tifa and Seventh Heaven, his sword poised at the ready, momentarily forgetting Cloud and his usually warm, cheery blue eyes narrowing into hard edges.

Genesis frowned when he saw Kadaj and his brothers mount their bikes, in one last attempt he tried to block Cloud's path but he stopped, for fear of accidentally hitting Zack, who was already running after him.

"I'll kill you before you take them away." Cloud's dark promise lingered in the air even long after he was gone, Zack was frozen on the spot, his mind barely comprehending what his best friend just told him.

Cloud wanted to kill him…because he thought he took away Tifa and Marlene and Denzel from him…

"I'll follow them, make sure you don't stray too far from the bar. I'll take your phone and report when I'm at their hideout." Genesis took Zack's phone from his pocket, ignoring the shell shocked man.

As Genesis flew away, Tifa slowly approached Zack and placed a hesitant hand on his rigid shoulder.

He didn't react.

"Zack…" Tifa spoke softly and moved to stand directly in front of Zack, his eyes looked…hurt, very hurt. Tifa fought back the onslaught of tears that wanted to consume her and instead hugged the taller SOLDIER tightly, trying to offer the comfort she knew he needed now.

After what seemed to be hours but were only long minutes, she felt his arms wrap around her. At first they were loosely around her, as if he didn't even fully register that she hugged him but then he was clutching her like she was the only thing holding him sane.

And maybe she was.

They both fell to their knees, Tifa hugging Zack tightly as he rested his head against her chest. He didn't cry, didn't sob but he shook for a few moments, before it subsided thanks to Tifa's soft, soothing strokes on his back.

He didn't understand, didn't register it fully, didn't – _couldn't_ believe that his best friend told him he would kill him.

Zack had always believed that people strayed from their path by a series of events that shook them to their core, without anyone to help them pull them back up and help them recover from their nightmares and memories.

But Cloud _had_ those people all around him. Barret, Cid, Yuffie, Vincent, Nanaki, Denzel, Marlene, _Tifa_ …

He didn't understand. He knew Sephiroth was controlling him, but he also knew that Cloud partially felt that way. Not enough to kill him, but to feel bitter about Zack living with Tifa and the kids.

 _Taking his spot away._ His place in the family.

"He left on his own free will Zack. Back then we tried searching for him but we never could find him. I left him when I found out he was living in Aerith's church, talking to her spirit, seeking comfort from her. She was my good friend and I liked her, but I still wished Cloud didn't have to rely on comfort from a dead spirit long since passed."

Tifa herself shook slightly as she said this, clutching Zack's head tighter.

But then she found herself enveloped in strong arms around her waist and back, being pressed against a hard, solid, _warm_ body. Being comforted by the same hands that were so dangerous with his enemies yet so gentle and careful with her now.

Zack traced invisible patterns on Tifa's back, he held her to himself, partially to offer the comfort she had given him and partly to reassure himself.

After a long while, he whispered in a soft, quiet voice "It will…be alright Tifa."

Tifa's eyes widened.

"I…I know Cloud didn't mean it himself. Sephiroth is controlling him, I know that. It hurts, it god damn _hurts_ , but I can live with it, because I know it's not _true._ It's not the Cloud I _know,_ he's a man now, not the boy he was in SOLDIER but his heart didn't change, I just know it.

He would never betray the people he considers family, he had lost his mother in the fire, lost everything that night. A man that lost everything dear to him would never push away the people he considers family and close friends, he just strayed from the path. And we will help him get back on track, we just need a lot of time and patience."

At her lack of response he squeezed her tighter and whispered directly in her ear:" Trust me."

After only seconds, Tifa wrapped her arms tighter around Zack's shoulders, holding him even closer, burying her face in the crook of his neck, letting him hold her, comfort her.

 _Trust me_

His words reassured her, made her calm. They recovered her belief that to continue fighting for the future, she needed strength and he was giving her the strength she thought she had lost when Cloud disappeared through the door only to not return again after a full year.

Zack smiled, it was small but it was genuine and retained some of its usual happiness.

He slowly pulled away from her, making her look at him. He offered her a warm smile and asked softly:" Do you trust me Tifa?" he searched her eyes for the truth.

"Of course I do Zack." Her words were nothing but the truth and she was leaning her forehead against his, as he had done a few nights ago.

"Everything will be alright." Zack reassured them both, himself and her, he just took her in.

Her breathing as it calmed and almost matched his own, her soft yet strong hands that were gripping his shoulders beneath his shoulder plates so tightly, her body that had shook with trembles before, was now still and seeking comfort from him, her medium length tresses as they lightly ticked his face from her close proximity and her warmth that seeped through his body as opposed to the deadly chill that had gripped him so tightly when Cloud had voiced his promise.

* * *

Hours had passed since the battle, the kids were already tucked into bed and Genesis had called once, reporting that he would be keeping an eye on them throughout the whole night to monitor their movements and try to get valuable information.

Another interesting thing was how he met with a mysterious, tall and dark haired, cloaked man, with a pistol of the infamous hellhound.

He had met Vincent, what he was doing there Zack and Tifa didn't know, but it reassured them greatly that another man as powerful as Vincent was with Genesis.

Not that Genesis wasn't powerful but Zack knew Genesis was the worst of the previous trio of Firsts known for his quick temper, while it seemed to have dampened slightly over the years, one could never be too sure. Since Vincent was the epitome of patient, he would make sure Genesis wouldn't accidentally storm in and crash the place when he caught sight of Hojo.

Zack watched Tifa from the corner of his eyes as she moved about the bar and kitchen, rearranging things and placing them neatly on their spots.

"Zack, why are you so worried?" the former SOLDIER blinked in surprise. Had he been caught?

"What do you mean?" he tried to act innocent but it seemed Tifa was to deceptive for him sometimes.

"You keep watching me like a hawk. Don't worry I'm fine." Tifa turned around to look at him, her hands on her hips.

Zack knew he wasn't the most discreet guy in the universe, he wasn't the loudest and most obvious one either…well ever since he matured of course and his zero-attention-span puppy days were over but he didn't think he would be caught staring…errm… _observing_.

Now he just felt like some creepy pervert.

Tifa saw his confused expression and raise eyebrow and answered:" I'm working in a bar for years already. Every barmaid/-man develop something of a sixth sense when noticing people staring, call it instinct." She shrugged.

"Do people often stare at you?" the question seemed extremely stupid, even for his sometimes-slow-brain.

Tifa giggled at his displeased expression and confessed:" Well, often but that's because most men are too drunk to really do anything about it."

" _Oh, I don't think they need to be drunk to have a reason to stare at you…"_ Zack shook his head to ban the thoughts from his mind and throw them in the pits of hell, he would be dead if Tifa caught wind of his straying thoughts. He averted his eyes somewhat shyly from her when they briefly locked gazes.

Well damn it, _now_ he was being obvious.

"Hey Tifa…"he asked quietly at first, his gaze directed to the table in front of him.

"Hm?" she hummed, letting him know he had her attention.

"Do you…uh…do you want to go on a date?" Zack rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, he felt his pulse quickening, his grin wide and nervous.

What the hell was wrong?! He was never shy about asking a girl out before…at least he hadn't been when he unashamedly asked Aerith out after knowing her for three seconds straight.

Well…he was older now, wiser (he hoped) and more mature. Tifa was a woman, not a girl anymore. He was sure she had broken a million hearts when the men around here had asked her out only to be turned down because of her affections for Cloud. He could even picture it, how every man there was jealous of the blonde, quiet swordsman.

"Don't be silly Zack, when do I have time for dates?", her hand was on her hip but in no way rejecting or angry. Zack grinned and crossed his arms confidently.

A confidence he certainly didn't feel on the inside as he said:" Dilly dally, shilly shally, since you're with me, we will eat here! I'll cook us something nice and you get to do nothing but relax.", he sent her a wink hoping he didn't make a complete fool of himself.

She shook her head and said amused with a blush:" But don't set my kitchen on fire!",

Zack winked and said:" Yes, ma'am!", Zack was waiting for her answer, she didn't give him a direct answer yet.

However, her answer was the _last_ one she had been expecting. Considering her earlier statement that she didn't have time for dates.

"S-sure." Her shy response was only augmented by her averted gaze and shy posture, one hand rubbing her elbow.

Zack's whole demeanor turned shy suddenly at her answer. Wait…she actually _accepted_?!

In his younger days, he was always called a flirt, but a hopeless one at that. Even Aerith said so at one point. He just couldn't flirt right with girls it seemed.

But it also seemed that with Tifa, he didn't have to. She didn't seem the type to want a man to flirt with her until she relented and he just had to wonder what he did to deserve her answer.

He stood up from his seat and he noticed how Tifa's gaze immediately shot to him, as if alarmed. He froze for a millisecond before steeling himself.

Just _why_ did he feel wave after wave of embarrassment hit him when he just asked her a very simple question?!

" _Great going Fair. Just how old are you? Get a grip on yourself and open your mouth!"_ is conscious pestered him relentlessly, he sometimes wondered if he was crazy and talked to some other guy in his mind that just had the same voice as him.

"Uh…right…well uh…you just sit here and relax! I'll go and cook us something nice!" he grinned, slightly nervous at her response.

But it seemed like he was worrying over nothing.

Tifa offered him a warm smile as she nodded and walked toward the table he just occupied, he stilled when she was close to him.

"So, what will the great Zack Fair cook for us today?" she asked teasingly, her nervousness showing in her brown, slightly burgundy orbs.

That made Zack somehow calmer, knowing she was just as nervous as she was. He felt a little like an old man who didn't have a date in decades.

"Well, leave that up to the chef! After all, chefs who talk too much don't have skills worth praising for!" he winked playfully at her, finding it easier now to talk and joke with her.

He just had to see Tifa as Tifa, not his date, or anything else. After all, he wasn't expecting anything to evolve from this…whatever it was, he expected to make Tifa smile and laugh and that was all.

Make her forget her worries and burdens for at least tonight, before the reality hit them both in the morning and reverted them to the tough SOLDIER and the strong, nearly invincible barmaid they were known to be.

Tifa smiled softly as Zack disappeared inside the kitchen, hearing the clatter of frying pans clash together, casseroles and other kitchen utensils.

She was buzzing with excitement, nervousness and curiosity to what he would cook. At the beginning, when the former First Class had slowly settled in her home, she had thought he was almost like Cloud: brooding, stoic at times and a calamity best not allowed in the kitchen. Cloud was good at other things that Tifa wasn't and that was fine, but Ifrit, she knew after a certain accident in her kitchen which needed a dousing of flames, to _never_ let Cloud in the kitchen _ever_ again.

However, Tifa was more than just pleasantly surprised to have found Zack in the kitchen one morning, making breakfast large enough to feed a behemoth. He had grinned at her and apologized for using her kitchen without asking first, but also saying how he needed to repay them for giving him a roof under his head and get food on the table for him.

Marlene and Denzel had been even happier than Tifa, they had immediately dug in the delicious food prepared by the former SOLDIER, wolfing it down faster than Tifa could eat the second bite.

She had thanked Zack warmly for it, had expected for it to be a one-time thing, but was surprised yet again when it had repeated often. And thanks to this their routine was born, where they prepared breakfast together, dinner was either Tifa's or Zack's job or even them together and then supper they would work on together again.

It was fun, it was creative, it was new and it was just… _warm_. She had gotten to know Zack more through cooking too, as odd as it seemed. He was handling a knife very well, combining the right seasonings and ingredients together…etc. And he had also introduced her to some of the more exotic dishes from his hometown Gongaga, ones his mother had taught him.

A smile grew on her lips as she kept thinking of all the moments that they all experienced with Zack ever since he lived with them.

Like Tifa, Zack was a early riser on _work_ days, like any other person he would occasionally sleep in on the weekends. Which caused some commotion in the morning, like the time Tifa had accidentally opened Zack's new room he had built for himself _without_ knocking and had just caught him hastily pulling up his boxers to not give Tifa a heart attack.

Ever since then he _always_ wore boxers to sleep and Tifa _always_ knocked at least twice and waited a few minutes just to be sure. That had been awkward.

Or the time when both adults were waiting impatiently for the children to hurry up in the bathroom so they could brush their teeth and get ready for the day. Zack and her usually tapped their feet impatiently and waited with crossed arms as Denzel and Marlene came grinning like little devils out of the bathroom, laughing all the way.

The time when Zack had took Denzel the first time on a ride on Lycana, Tifa and Marlene had been watching him laugh and have fun, before they themselves got a turn. Zack was careful as he made sure Marlene couldn't fall off and she was safely tucked against his chest before he drove and maneuvered the bike in impressive yet far safer positions.

With Tifa that had been a different story. She was more or less used to being on a bike, her time at AVALANCHE and when Cloud had randomly saved her while on Fenrir. Zack had let loose a little, driving on the last wheel with Tifa laughing with him, driving fast and then drifting dangerously low to the ground before expertly swirling the bike around and stopping, much to the kids' awe.

Tifa giggled quietly at the memories, Zack had brought the smiles to all their faces with his arrival, a burst of colors to their normally dull lives till this point. At times, he even made Denzel feel like a normal boy, not a boy infected with Geostigma. He made Marlene forget at times that Barret was gone and that she could enjoy everything to the fullest even without him.

And he had made Tifa forget how difficult her situation was and how screwed her past had been, she had been able to smile, because of Zack.

A small yelp from the kitchen caused her to instinctively shoot up from her seat but Zack's wild, dark hair popped up from the kitchen with a sheepish, wide grin.

"Uhh, sorry about that Teef! Just hit my head on the fridge door!" he grinned sheepishly and waved quickly before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Tifa shook her head and settled back down, her smile returning as she kept thinking about all the different times Zack Fair had made her smile and laugh.

And brought a little light to her dark world.

* * *

 _1 hour later…_

Zack had kept Tifa entertained a few times by offering her drinks, alcoholic but very light and fruity, to keep her from drumming her fingers impatiently or snapping for food.

He had lived long enough with them to figure out the signs that Tifa was grumpy _and_ hungry and _that_ was _never_ a good combo!

He had joked with her before disappearing back into the kitchen after checking the time again, with a grin and a promise to be back.

In that time, as if on cue, Yuffie had called her. The Wutai ninja-materia-hunter was suspicious as ever with her questions.

 _"_ _Tiiiifaa! So good that I got a hold of you! I heard the bar is closed today! How comes? Why? Is there a specific reason for it? Hmmmm?"_ Yuffie's voice rang on in the phone.

Tifa narrowed her eyes suspiciously before saying slowly:" Oh, no, not really. Zack had thought it to be a good idea, you know to relax."

Her friend's answer was far too quick for her liking:" _Mhm, mhm, yes, yes. Oh, do tell! What are you doing girl?"_

"I…I'm waiting for Zack to finish cooking, it's a surprise so I don't know what he's-" before she could finish, Yuffie ecstatically interrupted her friend,

" _Ah! A surprise dinner hm? How weird, its too late for the kids to be up Tifa! Did you put them to sleep? Are you guys alone now? ARE YOU ON A DATE WITHOUT TELLING ME LOCKHART?!"_

Tifa had moved her phone far away from her ear at Yuffie's shouting, lest her ear drums explode and she was tone deaf for the rest of her life.

"We tucked the kids into bed already Yuffie. And it's _not_ what you are thinking alright? Just a..friendly dinner that two good friends are holding for some relaxation, that's all." She tried to sound nonchalant. Didn't work with Yuffie at all.

" _Oh can it Lockhart! That sounds sooo lame! You sound like some old grandma that hasn't gotten some since ages! Then again…"_ a brief, teasing snicker was heard.

Tifa's eye twitched in annoyance as she said a little more forcefully:" _Yuffie!_ Don't be so crude! Zack and I are just on a friendly date and _nothing_ will happen! I expect to hear from you in the morning, _good night_ Yuffie." She ended the call in order to stop Yuffie's long, drawn out whine from irritating her any further.

She loved all her friends dearly but sometimes they were a real handful…

Unbeknownst to her a certain former First Class had heard her, a small smirk plastered to his handsome face, his cheeks a little flushed from something else other than the warmth from his cooking.

Hm…so even Yuffie thought this was a date? Well, truth to be told, it _was_ little weird that a man was cooking dinner for his _good friend_ and had even planned out their evening what they would be doing _after_ eating.

After all, he heard it wasn't very good if they would go for long walks with empty stomachs…

Zack only hoped his plan would work and that Tifa wouldn't get the wrong impression.

After all, he just wanted to see that bright, beautiful smile light up her face again.

It made _him_ happy.

* * *

 **Hehe tell me what you think guys! Thanks a lot for the reviews and for reading this chappy! Next chapter will go into detail of their little "date"! ;) What do you think will happen? Reviews greatly appreciated!**


	35. One Date

**I sincerely hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Thanks for all your reviews! They're really motivating me to write new chapters! :D**

 **Chapter 35: One Date**

* * *

Zack wiped sweat from his forehead, practically _glaring_ at his dish he just finished. It seemed like forever since he had given it, it's finishing touches but yeah…he didn't want to mess anything up, at least not tonight.

Tonight, Tifa deserved to have something as close to perfect as humanly possible, or rather, as _Zack Fair_ -possible. He had defied laws of biology by surviving being gunned down by an entire army division of SOLDIER after all, then again the mako in his body just _may_ have had something to do with it.

Right, dinner.

God damn it, his heart was racing like he was a teenager with a crush on the prettiest girl in the village. He rubbed his forehead in frustration at his own stupidity.

" _Grow up Fair! Be a man and go out there and…present her the dish and…make her happy."_

Hm…then again…he _did_ go on some dates but…well…

In his younger days, while he was just a rookie in SOLDIER, he had went out with a girl named Trish. She was nice enough but a bit too…clingy. She had immediately gone off with some other guy because Zack was called in for training and wasn't able to go out with her.

Then there had been Angelina…she had been a nice, modest girl…except, she had been more in love with _ranks_ and _uniforms_ instead of him. She had preferred guys like Genesis and Angeal, Sephiroth had been something like a god to her.

And with Aerith he had built her countless of flower wagons until one finally satisfied her. But duty called again, this time as a First Class, so he wasn't able to spend a lot of time with her.

Basically he had never had a real date…because of Shinra…he mentally smacked himself at the weird thought.

Zack took a deep, steady breath and carried their two plates out.

He pushed the door open with his back as he balanced the plates and their contents carefully, his fingers were burning but he ignored the slight pain in favor of doing this right.

Tifa's eyes lit up in excitement as she spotted Zack making his way toward her, two plates, healthily filled might she add, in his hands.

First he put her plate in front of her before setting it for himself, handing her a fork. As if he produced it from thin air, a bottle of red wine was suddenly in his hands, a Cheshire grin on his handsome face.

Tifa giggled and joked:" Oh? So you're already planning on getting me drunk huh?" her eyes were shining with amusement as Zack poured a small amount of the red, bittersweet liquid in each of their glasses.

"What can I say, I was known to kidnap the pretty ladies and get them drunk on a daily basis." He winked at her, making her giggle as he sat down. He noticed she was still giggling and it was then he noticed why, he was wearing a apron.

 _Her_ apron.

It was red in color with the writing in bold pink:" _Kiss the cook and you're hooked!"_ And it looked ridiculously small on him. Seriously small. While Tifa wasn't petite by any means, her shoulders were small, just right for her physique but definitely a lot smaller than his. The apron was stretched over the expanse of his broad chest, tied at his waist which narrowed down slightly.

With a embarrassed grin and adorable blush on his cheeks, he stood up, untied the apron hastily and hung it in its rightful place just outside the kitchen before returning quickly to the table.

There was a silence of exactly three minutes before both adults burst into laughter, Tifa clutched her stomach slightly as she laughed hard. Zack ran a hand through his hair as his laughter subsided along with Tifa's.

"You looked very pretty in my apron, maybe I should buy you the same one in large." Tifa teased him as she covered her mouth from erupting into giggles again.

"Well….I wasn't feeling so pretty anymore because you started laughing at me…honestly, the nerve of some people…" Zack crossed his arms, feigning a hurt look before he chuckled along with Tifa who shook her head in amusement.

Their spectacular dish for today: macaroni with cheese and meat, some finely cut parsley on top for show and adding flavor to the delicacy. Tifa smiled fondly and tentavly lifted the fork to her mouth, before taking the first bite.

She was enjoying the delicious flavor of the macaroni and cheese that she didn't notice Zack's intense look directed at her, his food untouched as he kept _staring_ at her.

"….What?" Tifa asked, afraid she did something weird or wrong.

"….How is it?" Zack was almost jumping in his seat as he eagerly awaited her reply, biting his lip. Tifa laughed and waved off his worries.

"Don't worry Zack! It's really good! Delicious!" she smiled genuinely at him, her eyes warm and happy as she looked at the taller male before her.

Zack smiled, slightly shy, as he started eating his own food.

"Thanks…" he smiled at her softly and she returned it wholeheartedly, "I bet I can cook better than you…" Tifa's smile turned into a smirk.

"Well, we would have to see that, now wouldn't we?" her hands were on her hips as she sent a challenging look Zack's way.

"Oh definitely Lockhart." He grinned, bright and easy, joking with her like that, it released all his bonds until now. Well, thankfully, not all.

As they both continued eating in relative silence, with exceptions from them joking or talking occasionally.

Zack looked out of the window for the third time the minute they started eating.

Tifa placed a hand over his still one on the table and asked concerned:" Zack, is something wrong?" her eyes followed his gaze outside, but all she saw was the darkening sky and the old buildings across her bar.

Zack reluctantly tore his gaze away and gave her a easy smile:" Nothing at all. Sorry about that, guess we ex-SOLDIERs are a bit paranoid huh?" he winked at her playfully.

Tifa frowned briefly before returning his smile, she looked one last time outside before she started bickering with Zack on who should clean the plates.

* * *

 _In a place far, far away…_

" _Report._ " A female voice from a phone could be heard in the silence of the early night, held up by a black, gloved hand to a man's ear.

"The targets seem to be finished with eating. If I had to guess, they are talking about who is going to wash the dishes." The deep, mysterious voice said through the phone.

" _I see. Immediately contact me if the targets have made any progress._ " The call ended as the mysterious, tall figure continued to observe the two figures of one Tifa Lockhart and Zack Fair.

* * *

"No, _I_ will do it!" Tifa took away the plates from the former SOLDIERs hands.

"Teef, I said _I_ will!" but Zack had a few tricks up his sleeve. He swiftly took away the dirty plates from her and held them above his head as he speed walked to the kitchen, leaving a giggling, huffing Tifa behind.

A few minutes passed once he came out, wearing a sheepish grin and she couldn't help but shake her head and smile.

"Thank you Zack, honestly. Tonight has been really-"

"Who said it was over?" Zack's wide grin made Tifa feel suspicious of the future events that may or may not follow.

"Huh?" Tifa said dumbly, which only made Zack's grin wider.

He held out his hand, which Tifa slowly took. She fought down a blush as she felt the warmth radiating off Zack's hand, his much bigger hand. His calloused hand was gently but firmly holding hers.

"Come on Teef. We are going hunting!" Zack chuckled and led Tifa outside, locking the door to the Seventh Heaven.

"Hey Nanaki, will you be alright over here?" Tifa narrowed her eyes at the darkness Zack had spoken to, before the form of Nanaki appeared.

"Of course I will. You have nothing to worry about, I'll keep the children safe." The red beast laid right in front of the steps to the bar, sitting straight, his eyes watchful and his ears erect, listening in for any odd noises.

"Good, thanks a lot again! I owe you one buddy!" Zack grinned and Tifa smiled, kissing the top of Nanaki's head in silent thanks, smiling when she heard him purr in delight before she followed Zack into the night.

Zack grinned at Tifa's amused and confused expression, "What?" he asked with more amusement than curiosity.

"How did you get Nanaki to agree? Not that he wouldn't do it but I thought he was still cross with you for that "dog" comment at the beginning." She put a hand over her mouth to cover her smile.

"Well….I managed to convince him. Though I would need to take trips every now and then to Cosmo Canyon and deliver some large packages…" he sighed, already planning out the fastest route there and how he would transport the tons of meat and other products he would be transporting to Nanaki in his old village.

Tifa smiled warmly and quietly said:" Thank you Zack…" he looked at her and smiled softly.

"No problem, Teef. I know what it's like feeling as if you abruptly lost your footing, as if you're falling with no hand there to hold you. I experienced it in SOLDIER and every now and then, Angeal would take me out to cool off and clear my head. It helped a lot…" he smiled and looked at the sky, thinking of his late mentor and closest friend.

"I'm sorry about Angeal…he must have been the strongest and greatest SOLDIER ever when you talk so fondly of him." Her eyes were kind and understanding, watching him to see his reaction to her words.

Zack looked at the ground, a small smile playing on his lips, " Yeah…he was the most honorable of SOLDIERs to me…" Tifa clasped her hands behind her back, smiling genuinely.

Zack shook his head from the memories and instead adopted a large grin, with his arms crossed behind his head, he asked:" Soo…do you have any idea where I am taking you?"

Tifa looked at him suspiciously but shook her head no.

"You will see soon enough." He chuckled at her displeased expression and she shoved him playfully.

"You enjoy making me curious don't you Fair?" she smirked at him as she tried figuring out where they were going by looking at her surroundings but she was noticing that they were going farther away from the city.

"Zack…why are we going so far away from Edge?" she glanced behind herself, weird. Just where was Zack taking her?

The black haired man grinned and pointed in front of him and Tifa narrowed her eyes before she saw it, it was Lycana, his motorcycle, up ahead.

"Come on slow poke!" Zack jogged up to his bike and Tifa rolled her eyes and followed suit.

"Alright, will you tell me _now_ where we are going? Considering you're obviously planning on kidnapping me somewhere far away so no one will hear me if I scream for help." Her hands were on her hips in amusement as Zack mounted his large bike.

He winked at her and said:" Hop on Lockhart." She pouted but complied, sitting behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist as he started up the engine.

"I'll tell you this much – it's a beautiful view…and there is food. Oh and people, nasty business." He chuckled.

Tifa laughed and swatted his shoulder playfully.

"Oh no _people_ best not go anywhere with those things around. Well, since you're mentioning food…" she and Zack laughed together as they drove away from Edge.

For a while they said nothing, letting the comfortable breeze caress their skin and seemingly blow away their worries for the night.

It wasn't chilly but Tifa still held herself close to Zack's back, making the man tense suddenly before relaxing, trying to focus on driving and not the beautiful woman right behind him holding him by the waist.

 _Focus, Zack, focus…_

Tifa sighed and Zack gripped the handles of his bike just a bit tighter, trying to keep a cool head.

A passing shadow cut through his thoughts like lightning.

Zack abruptly halted the bike, causing Tifa to grip him tighter as he halted sideways so they didn't lurch forward from the impact.

"Zack? What's wrong?" Tifa asked concerned as she looked over his shoulder, squeezing slightly to get his attention.

His steel gaze was intensely focused on the right side, into the dark night, something even Tifa's trained eyes couldn't see.

"Zack?" she tried again, leaning forward slightly.

 _"_ _What was that just now?"_ his eyes narrowed further, " _I wasn't imagining it. There was a shadow just now, a large one. It wasn't a monster, I could tell, but just who is following us? Are they a threat? Are there more of them?_ " Zack cursed himself for not bringing his buster sword with him, thinking it was inappropriate for the occasion.

* * *

 _Again, in a place far, far away…_

" _Have they spotted you?_ " the female voice rang through the phone again.

"Negative, though Fair seems to be suspicious of my presence." The male replied, cautiously hiding deeper in the shadows the longer Zack's gaze was trained in the general direction of him.

" _I told you to be careful! He is a trained, former SOLDIER First Class! And Tifa isn't a pushover either!"_ the female sounded frustrated with the situation.

"Apologies. It seems as if they are heading toward Bodenheim." The man's gaze slowly travelled toward the small, boisterous village not too far from them now.

" _Don't lose sight of them."_ With that the call ended with a "click".

The man pocketed his phone, highly unused to using it in this situation since he only ever had a phone in his younger days when he used to be a part of the Turks.

The man waited patiently as Zack finally stopped focusing on the shadows concealing him and resuming his driving.

The shadow never left their side.

* * *

" _What is going on?"_ Tifa kept asking herself that over and over as Zack had resumed driving, a bit faster than before.

"Zack, are you sure everything's ok? You've been practically glaring at the shadows earlier." Maybe he had seen something that had unsettled him? He was a fool if he thought she didn't notice his sword arm twitching and almost reflexively moving before he realized he had left his sword back in the bar.

It was difficult to shut down instincts.

"Yeah, don't worry. Maybe it was a flying squirrel or something." She could see the corners of his mouth tilting upwards but she knew he was faking it to reassure her. Now she was slightly on edge as well.

Zack briefly glanced at her form the corner of his eyes and berated himself for alarming Tifa so much with his actions.

" _Great going Zack, now Tifa's practically on the edge of her seat because I was too dumb to behave more discreetly."_ He frowned, still that shadow was worrying him.

He didn't know if it was friend or foe, didn't know how well armed they are, didn't have his weapon with him and it would oppose a far greater problem if there were more of them.

Or worse yet, a whole group of them.

Kadaj.

Zack shook his head lightly, no. It couldn't be. The remnants never were so patient of attacking them. Especially not after their confrontation today.

Zack banished the dark thoughts to the back of his mind and only half processed what his hand was doing as he took his left hand off the handle and gripped Tifa's hands at his stomach.

He only registered what the hell he was doing when they already arrived and he felt Tifa lightly tug her hands free of his grip, not noticing a redness spreading over her face.

A blush colored his cheeks, he was thankful for the darkness before they would be stepping out into the light.

"Zack…what….what is this?" Tifa asked in awe, drinking in the sight of the large festival in front of her, the colorful party banners, all the children laughing and playing, the adults dancing, talking, eating... She had heard the noises before but wasn't sure what was going on.

There was a festival going on in Bodenheim. And it looked like they were expected to be here.

A few of the villagers came up to them and smiled brightly, one of them said:" Welcome! I heard you saved us by defeating those monsters that were plaguing us for weeks! As thanks we wanted to invite you and your wife to our humble festival." The man spread his arms out widely, grinning from ear to ear.

Zack grinned back and nodded saying:" Thank you a lot for inviting us. We are grateful for the invitation." Tifa noticed how Zack didn't bother saying they weren't married, so she didn't either.

As they were left alone again, Tifa leaned in close to Zack and asked quietly:" You knew about this?" the tall man sent her a smirk.

He nodded and whispered back:" Yeah, they sent us an invitation yesterday but I forgot about it after the battle with the remnants. Sorry." He gave her a wide grin, not feeling sorry at all.

Tifa just shook her head and said:" What am I going to do with you?" with a smile.

"How about you try and have a good time with me?" Zack held his hand out to Tifa, a gentle smile on his face.

Tifa looked at his hand then at Zack's gentle, hopeful expression. She smiled brightly and nodded, letting his larger, warmer hand envelope hers and lead her to the festivities of Bodenheim.

Zack and Tifa went to inspect all the colorful decorations, seeing how the villagers danced joyfully, creating their own music, laughing and having a lot of fun.

"I…don't remember when it was the last time I saw so many people being happy…" as Tifa said this Zack had to silently agree, he may have been in a comatose state, but even back in the old Shinra days Zack had rarely seen many happy-go-lucky smiles, except for his of course.

He spotted a table full of food and smirked, being quick to get a place for himself to eat. When Tifa turned around, Zack wasn't with her anymore. He wasn't hard to find either, if you want to find Zack Fair, just look there where the food is.

With a amused smile and crossed arms, Tifa sauntered over to Zack, seeing only his back as she cleared her throat loudly.

The former SOLDIER slowly turned around, a behemoth stick in his hand and a Choccobo nugget in his other hand, his mouth stuffed with god knows what. He swallowed before grinning sheepishly, holding out the stick with the flesh of a behemoth out to her in silent offering.

To his surprise, she smirked and took it eagerly, starting to eat it and even squeeze herself between Zack and another villager, taking her sweet time in selecting some food for her and actually getting a _plate_ , which she pointed out to Zack.

The man grumpily also took a plate and started piling it up with food. The villagers said to have fun and take as much as they wanted…he wasn't about to complain or offend them by not following their requests.

Zack blinked twice when he saw Tifa's pile almost rivaled his own, he smirked at her and asked:" Oh? Who's greedy now?" Tifa stuck her tongue out at him and went to sit on a vacant spot on a bench, watching the dancing pairs, some people playing on drums, violins, guitars and all sorts of other instruments.

Zack sat down beside her, enjoying the energetic atmosphere surrounding them instead of being faced with battle after battle.

Unsurprisingly, after minutes of watching the festivities, Zack's plate was already empty and discarded. His foot was tapping on the ground as a beat only known to him played in his head.

Zack suddenly stood up sending a wink at Tifa as he said:" I'll be right back." He walked straight up to a man who was playing the guitar, conversing with him for a minute before the man handed the guitar to Zack. Zack also quickly exchanged words with a couple of the villagers holding instruments and they all nodded before Zack took up the front.

Tifa almost spit out the nuggets in her mouth from shock.

Zack had blindly grabbed a hat, a freaking _cowboy_ hat, from someone and placed it on his head. Tifa had tried blaming the heat and the atmosphere, but she thought it suited Zack very much, a typical country boy.

Zack clapped his hands twice, thrice before one of the more respected villagers signaled for the crowd to be silent.

"Heya everyone! Uh, since we were invited here I thought to give you something back too! It's been a while since I've played on this thing so try not to be too disappointed." Zack grinned as he adjusted the guitar to his liking, "Let me show you how we country boys from Gongaga play the guitar."

He winked straight at Tifa, making the majority of the women that had kept eyeing Zack like meat glare at her. Tifa however completely ignored them, smiling slightly and blushing.

 ** _A/N: The following song that will be mentioned is "All Summer Long" by Kid Rock. Sweet Home Alabama-feel anyone?_**

Zack gave a signal to the other "band" members, basically all the people with a instrument in their hands.

He started lightly moving his head in the rhythm of the melody, his fingers almost effortlessly playing on the strings of the guitar as he suddenly started singing:

 _It was 1989, my thoughts were short my hair was long  
Caught somewhere between a boy and man  
She was seventeen and she was far from in-between  
It was summertime in Northern Michigan  
Ahh Ahh Ahh  
Ahh Ahh Ahh_

Tifa's mouth hung slightly open in shock at Zack's voice, the guy could cook _and sing_?! Tifa quickly drank the contents of her glass, feeling the slight burn of the light alcoholic beverage. She was thankful, her poor heart may not survive this enigma that was Zack Fair this evening without some alcohol in her system.

At least not if he kept surprising her like this.

 _Splashing through the sand bar  
Talking by the campfire  
It's the simple things in life, like when and where  
We didn't have no internet  
But man I never will forget  
The way the moonlight shined upon her hair_

 _And we were trying different things  
We were smoking funny things  
Making love out by the lake to our favorite song  
Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking 'bout tomorrow  
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long  
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long_

Zack grinned and watched Tifa still shell shocked, watching him. It amused him quite a bit, he would have never guessed that she was so shocked he could somewhat sing. He wasn't the best out there but certainly not the worst either, just enough that it sounded nice and didn't hurt the ears. He was told his deep voice also added to it. As he played the guitar, he slowly walked around, looking at each of the villagers but his eyes mostly strayed back to Tifa.

 _Catching Walleye from the dock  
Watching the waves roll off the rocks  
She'll forever hold a spot inside my soul  
We'd blister in the sun  
We couldn't wait for night to come  
To hit that sand and play some rock and roll_

 _While we were trying different things  
And we were smoking funny things  
Making love out by the lake to our favorite song  
Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking 'bout tomorrow  
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long  
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long_

Zack took a small break and grinned widely as he watched the people all around him bustling with energy, drinking, eating, laughing, the most of them clapping to the song he was singing. The villagers with instruments from behind him gave him a smile and a thumbs up, making him playfully tip his hat to them.

 _Now nothing seems as strange as when the leaves began to change  
Or how we thought those days would never end  
Sometimes I'll hear that song and I'll start to sing along  
And think man I'd love to see that girl again_

 _And we were trying different things  
We were smoking funny things  
Making love out by the lake to our favorite song  
Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking 'bout tomorrow  
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long  
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long_

The crowd cheered even louder, now even singing along. Tifa was among them, clapping and singing along, locking gazes with Zack.

 _And we were trying different things  
We were smoking funny things  
Making love out by the lake to our favorite song  
Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking 'bout tomorrow  
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long  
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long_

 _Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long  
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long  
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long  
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long_

Zack ended the song with a few well-timed tunes from the guitar, drawing out the "long" in the song on the ending verse.

The whole village erupted into cheers, hollers and whistles. Zack grinned and bowed at the waist, the villagers behind him clapped for him as well, he turned to them and clapped for them as well.

He returned the guitar to its rightful owner and thanked all the villagers who helped him pull off the song, praising their good skills.

"I was fifteen mind you." Tifa crossed her arms, a teasing smile on her lips, Zack laughed.

"Why do you think it was about you? It could have been anyone." He smirked, wiggling his eyebrows playfully, Tifa giggled.

"Well, Alabama sounds like such a backwater name. Maybe you confused it with Nibelheim." Both laughed, though the memory of her destroyed hometown would never go away, Zack had lifted the burden a little. At least enough not to reduce her to tears or to make her heart throb with pain at the thought, just a dull ache in her chest which would always be there.

He was suddenly bombarded by unknown women, all grabbing at him and asking him if he would sing again or if he wanted to come with them god knows where.

Zack smiled at all of them and moved closer to Tifa, he leisurely draped an arm around her shoulders and said:" My apologies ladies, but I'm on a date with a beautiful lady here already. So, if you don't mind." He pushed past all of them, not sensing or noticing their death glares trying to burn holes through Tifa's back.

However Tifa turned around and playfully stuck her tongue out at them, making Zack laugh and causing them to run away from a mob of screaming, infuriated women.

Zack quickly jumped on Lycana and started the engine with Tifa hopping in behind him before they drove off at full speed, laughing all the way.

"Didn't know you had it in you, Lockhart!" Zack laughed, high fiving Tifa with one hand as the woman laughed hard.

"Well, don't underestimate me Zack, I can bite back too if I have to." She giggled, the blush still present on her face. Zack thought it was because of the heat and the laughter.

As they were now driving at a normal pace through the sandy terrain, Tifa enjoyed the wind blowing her hair, Zack's warmth seeping into her, enjoyed the way the engine pleasantly growled, enjoyed Zack's company…

She also enjoyed the hand holding hers tightly against his stomach.

* * *

Don't worry! The date isn't over yet! Just wanted to upload the first part of it! Hehe…So….HOW WAS IT?! Please be honest! Any suggestions are very welcome! BTW: What do you think who was the mysterious assassin/spy that keeps track of Zack and Tifa? Friend or foe?


	36. One Date Part 2

**Hey there folks! Thank you all for being so patient with me and for your wonderful reviews too!**

 **BTW: The french movie mentioned here (Changing Sides, Original title:** **_De l'autre côté du lit_** **) belongs to Pascale Pouzadoux, the movie originally starrs Sophie Marceau and Dany Boon. All rights are reserved to their respective authors/directors!**

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:** **AkaiArashi1** **: You know…sometimes it's annoying how you can just…** ** _guess_** **RIGHT whom I will introduce next! ^^haha Joking buddy, but you're right Yuffie and Vincent on a spying mission!**

 **Flamelegendvargas** **: You're right there! It's Yuffie and Vincent! :D**

 **Chapter 36: One Date Part 2**

* * *

Zack drove straight to Seventh Heaven, Tifa thought their date, albeit short-lived, was over. However, when Zack suddenly grabbed her wrist and stirred her away from her beloved bar Tifa had to question him.

"Zack, where are we going this time?" she turned her head to look at the tall man pushing he forward.

"What? You thought I was so lame? Geez, looks like no one pampered you these past few years Lockhart, I told you, I'll try to make you smile as much as possible tonight." Zack grinned, patting Tifa's back a she stopped pushing her and instead fell into step next to her.

Tifa sighed playfully and smiled, "So, you're leaving me in the dark and won't tell me where we are going?" she gave him a sidelong glance.

"Nope." Was his simple answer, his grin bright and teasing. She rolled her eyes playfully, before looking up at the dark sky with the stars.

"You know…the stars in Nibelheim used to be so much brighter…in Edge it's considered a phenomenon if you could see any at all, due to the pollution and mako."

Zack smiled, looking up at the faintly visible stars as well," Heh, yeah, it was the same in Gongaga. As a kid, my dad always joked that they were so bright he could pluck them from the sky." Feelings of nostalgia welled up inside of both of them.

"…What happened to your parents Zack?" Tifa's voice was quite, her gaze now downcast.

Zack was quite for a while, before he could answer however, Tifa hastily cut in:"I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that. Especially not on a date, I'm sorry I'm not used to going out and-"

"Oi, let me talk for once will you?" Zack playfully cut her off, sending her a reassuring smile that quelled the fear and nervousness in her.

"Soo, you admit it's a date huh?", he waggled his eyebrows suggestively, before turning serious again, "Don't worry, concerning me, you can ask whatever you want, I promise not to break down into tears and eat ice cream alright?" his grin was teasing but his eyes spoke the truth of his words.

Tifa bit her lip and nodded, her fears evaporated, almost.

"About my old folks…well, the last time I saw them was…let's see….I think I was…thirteen then? It was when I left Gongaga to join SOLDIER." His arms were behind his head nonchalantly, as if he was talking about the weather.

"You left to join SOLDIER at the age of thirteen? Zack, you were just a little boy!" Tifa couldn't believe it, she herself was fifteen when the tragedy had befallen Nibelheim, but she couldn't have done anything against it. However, back then, Zack had had a chance, he _willingly_ left to join SOLDIER.

"Yeah, I guess…I was such a hardhead then…man…" Zack grinned innocently.

"Why…?" Tifa asked softly, curiosity getting the better of her.

Zack's smile turned somber at the thought, his head was slightly lowered, away from Tifa, "Hm…to put it frankly, Gongaga was boring. Especially for someone like me, I didn't want to grow crops, marry some girl in my village and stay there till I turned gray. Dad used to tell me how some of his friends, who were SOLDIERs, kept pestering him to join and make it big there. He kept rejecting them however, I never understood until one night where he openly told me his reason for doing that. At that time, I didn't really understand it.

He told me he didn't want to leave because of me and mom, being a SOLDIER wasn't all it seemed to be, he said there were dangers that I couldn't yet picture and that for him to join SOLDIER, he would have to travel far away and be away on missions. He said he would miss me an' mom too much so he never even considered it. He…wanted to watch me grow and be a part of my life, without mom being worried over him and waiting if he would return." His head lowered further, his lips tightening in a thin life.

"…I guess I took that dream away from both him and ma. I left a year later, not even saying goodbye to them, I left in the middle of the night cause I knew they would try to stop me at all costs. Back then, nothing but SOLDIER and becoming a hero there was on my mind, so I never thought of the consequences. When I met Angeal and after we got to know each-other, there was a time where I liked him better than dad, because he was so brave, so knowledgeable, the greatest, most honorable SOLDIER of all times. I even viewed Angeal as a father-figure for a while, until years later, after I came all beat up from a mission, I realized my dad's true worth.

He missed the opportunity of joining SOLDIER, acquiring fame and fortune, coming out big, fighting on the front lines, to stay with me and mom, in that "boring" village….I heard from a friend of mine that Gongaga was destroyed because of a mako reactor going haywire. That day, Angeal found me outside on the training grounds, crying my eyes out. He sat with me the whole night and comforted me, telling me I wasn't a bad son and that my parents would understand."

When Zack lifted his head, Tifa expected to see tears, but instead she saw a small, sad smile, his eyes were dry.

"Zack…I.." she shook her head, saying sorry wouldn't improve the situation either way. Instead she remained quiet.

"It's alright. I cried enough in the past, crying now wouldn't get me anywhere, it won't bring them back and it won't quench the guilt I feel, but at least I know they are happy and in peace now where they are. Angeal is with them, so they are having a good time." He smiled up at the sky, as if his deceased parents and mentor could actually see him.

Tifa smiled and took a deep breath, "You know…my mother died when I was eight, papa said it was because of an illness, but I never remember mama being ill, so I'm not sure why she died. Since her death, papa had become distant, sometimes he would be out and sitting in front of her grave, mourning. He forbid me from playing the piano because it reminded him too much of mama, after years he discarded it. I was angry at him at first, but later I realized he had a difficult time, with mama dying and me to take care of. He became the sole provider for me, so sometimes he took multiple jobs at a time, working hard and coming home late.

After mama's death, I believed her to be at Mt. Nibel, so I went there one night to see her, but I slipped and fell down. After I woke up days later in a hospital, I saw Cloud beside me, his injuries were worse than mine and I concluded he jumped after me and took the brunt of my fall. Papa though…he thought Cloud led me to Mt. Nibel in the first place, I kept trying to convince him otherwise but he was a stubborn man. He didn't like Cloud ever since and forbid me from playing with him."

Zack had all the while listened intently to Tifa pouring her heart out to him, revealing her past to him. After a few weeks of living with her, he had concluded she was shy and kept her feelings locked up in herself, her heart.

 _Lockheart. Locked heart._

He had also noticed a pattern whenever Tifa interacted with her friends, the kids or people in general, them first, Tifa second. It was always like that. Tifa always put others above herself and it had been like that with Cloud too. Cloud firmly believed that even if he left her, Tifa would remain strong and standing, understand his actions. Sometimes, Zack found himself wishing she was a bit more selfish than that, to teach Cloud a lesson that she wasn't available at his every beck and call.

Unwillingly, he had noticed the difference between Aerith and Tifa. While Aerith had been bubbly, outgoing and flirty, Tifa was more shy, responsible and caring. Aerith had been a sweetheart, but at times, Zack had wondered if the relationship they had would have last if he hadn't "died" then and the whole incident with Sephiroth.

Now was not the time to think of the past and re-open old wounds, though he suspected now it was too late.

"Zack?" Tifa leaned closer to him and seemingly ripping him from his thoughtful state.

"I'm sorry! I…I was just…I'm sorry Tifa, I had been listening it's just…I noticed that you always put others before yourself….why?" he looked into her burgundy eyes, hints of brown here and there. They softened at his question, a sadness covering them he found he disliked greatly.

"I want to see people happy, I hate it when someone is sad near me when I know I can help it. I want to help people as much as possible so they aren't sad. That's the theme of Seventh Heaven as well, no matter who enters my bar, if they have their burdens to unload I listen and give advice.

I also try to convince them not to drown their sorrows in alcohol but instead to talk about it and accept it. Mostly it works, but other times…they decide that being drunk is the only way to handle their situation. To handle what happened." Her tone turned sad but she shook her head, determination lightning up her eyes.

Zack smiled warmly, feeling fondness grow for the woman before him.

"But Zack…you do that too!" her lips formed into a playful pout as she regarded him with her hands on her hips.

Zack's blue, glowing eyes widened briefly before he pointed at himself and exclaimed dramatically:" Wha- ME?"

Tifa giggled and nodded, before her tone grew warm and serious:" You protected Denzel even though he didn't like you at all at the beginning, you protected Marlene, you spend time with them and teach them new things even though you have absolutely no obligation to them, you help me with the bar, help AVALANCHE…"

Zack scratched the back of his head, fighting down his blush, "Eh…well…yeah, of course! I can't just let a small kid like Denzel get attacked, they grew on me ever since I stay at the bar…they lost their parents because of Meteor, Sephiroth…I just want to give them something back, I know it may not be the same but…I want to forget at least for a little while all the tragedies they had to endure and are still fighting…" he thought about Denzel's Geostigma.

"And…what man wouldn't help a beautiful lady such as yourself?" he grinned, wiggling his eyebrows. Tifa giggled and playfully punched his shoulder, Zack stuck his tongue at her and Tifa did the same, causing them both to laugh.

After their laughter subsided, Tifa smiled and asked mischievously:" Say Zack, how many girlfriends did you have before Aerith?" she was quite curious, surely someone as handsome and kind as Zack had had many girlfriends.

The former First Class SOLDIER was taken aback by the question, though he swore to himself that he wouldn't hide anything from Tifa and to be honest with her, so that's what he was gonna do.

"Not many to be honest, I think…three? But they were more like one-time-dates than actual "girlfriends". Heh, yeah I wasn't a womanizer, more like a hopeless flirt. I tried flirting with some girls but never anything serious and mostly I failed spectacularly at it too." He chuckled uncomfortably while rubbing his neck. "I went on some dates but none of them caught my interest enough to actually start anything.",

Tifa's brows furrowed, she asked while biting her lips:" What about Aerith?"

He paused thoughtfully before smiling slightly, "I…think I had fallen in love with her back then. After I escaped from the lab with Cloud and read her last letter, I was devastated. I was even more devastated after hearing she was dead. I guess Aerith was my first girlfriend I had actually considered as something lasting…" again a pause, "Though I…I'm not so sure now. I talked to her in the Lifestream, she didn't really change from her past self…I'm not sure if our relationship would have really lasted. I changed a lot too and I'm not the same anymore I was years ago…"

Zack looked at Tifa then and smirked," What about you? Surely the guys can't keep their hands off you." He bumped shoulders with her playfully.

Tifa giggled in embarrassment," Well…there have been offers but…" a frown suddenly marred her beautiful features, which in turn made Zack worry, she bit her lip:" I…always rejected them."

Zack had a hunch and straight out asked:" Because of Cloud?" his eyes softened at the mention of his best friend, which was god knows where now.

" Yeah...he used to be my childhood crush after all."

Zack bit his tongue hard, he badly wanted to ask her what changed her mind into agreeing to go out with him, before he mentally smacked himself. This _wasn't_ a date! They had agreed so!

"But I'm glad I finally get to go out on a date. Yuffie already kept teasing me about dying with eighty cats in the bar all alone-" Tifa suddenly covered her mouth, oh god…she had just said "date".

Damn it. They had agreed that this _wasn't_ a date!

"I-I….I'm sorry Zack! I d-didn't mean date I, um…I-" Tifa spluttered, at a loss for words suddenly.

Zack cast aside his nervousness, "Why? I…w-want this to be a date." He mentally cursed at his stuttering. Great, now she would surely laugh at him…or kick his ass…

"A-alright, then…" burgundy eyes shyly looked away from the handsome man, staring into the opposite side of her so Zack didn't see her burning face.

"Y-yeah…" Zack agreed, rubbing his neck and adjusting his hair awkwardly. Spikes would be spikes…they would only get even messier if he messed with them now. He sighed.

"So, where are we going?"

"We are already here." In the midst of their conversation, Tifa hadn't noticed they stood now in a small clearing, with a telescope a few feet away.

Her eyes widened.

A telescope? How did he-?

"I remember you talking one night about watching the stars in Nibelheim and how here you can't really see them, seems like tonight they are a bit visible so I thought we could watch them together if you'd like-" his eyes widened as Tifa suddenly hugged him tightly.

She mumbled into his shirt:" Thank you…Zack…" she stayed like this, hugging him tightly and Zack couldn't help but hug her back, cradling her close to him. He could get used to this…

He quickly shook his head and instead led her toward the telescope, when she sent him a confused look he grinned and explained:" Cid had one of these boys in his storage room, he let me borrow it if I clean out his airship tomorrow." Zack chuckled.

Tifa's eyes softened at Zack's consideration, he would willingly clean a airship bigger than the Shinra building just so Tifa could see the stars more clearly? Her feelings for him grew even more.

Both adults had great fun in watching the stars, Zack would point out the stars Tifa didn't recognize and say something to them as well as Tifa would do the same to Zack if he didn't recognize some of the stars or constellations.

"They are so beautiful tonight…thank you so much Zack." Tifa looked up at the sky, happiness filling her heart like it used to when she was a child and her mother used to teach her how to play the piano.

Zack's smile was soft as he looked at Tifa from the corner of his eyes and silently agreed, though his mind was somewhere else than on the stars right now.

* * *

 _That same place far, far away…_

" _What are they doing now?! REPORT!"_ the tall male sighed heavily, running a hand down his face and briefly glancing at his three barreled gun before at the duo watching the stars.

"Yuffie…I already told you, they are watching the stars through Cid's telescope…" Vincent sighed again, shaking his head.

" _STILL?! But it's like half an hour already since you last called Vince! I was expecting to see something interesting! Like Tifa accidentally falling and Zack coming to her rescue and staring into her eyes and being all lovey-dovey and that they FINALLY kiss! I heard the ground wasn't so hard, they could easily just lay on it and-"_

"They're moving back to Seventh Heaven now," Vincent was glad that Zack and Tifa decided to head back, it gave him a excuse to interrupt Yuffie, he _did not_ want to know _how_ she would finish her sentence.

He wasn't paid enough for this.

Speaking of payment…

"Yuffie, you still didn't tell me how you will pay me." Vincent smirked smugly, he had her now.

" _P-Pay? W-well….you know how I will pay you!"_ her voice turned squeaky and shy all of a sudden, no doubt from embarrassment.

"I want you to say it," Vincent held back a chuckle

" _F-fine…I'll give you five materia of your selection…BUT ONLY FIVE AND NOT ONE MORE!"_ she shouted at the end into the phone, making Vincent remove his phone away from his ear.

"Good. I'll be going then."

" _KEEP THE DETAILS COMING! I WANT JUICY DETAILS FOR BLACKMAIL MATERIAL VINCENT!"_ the former Turk rolled his eyes playfully before pocketing his phone and quietly following Zack and Tifa again, jumping from roof to roof.

* * *

"Ah, I see you have returned." Nanaki smiled as he stretched, purring softly when Tifa petted his head affectionately.

"Thank you so much Nanaki, please tell me if you need anything at all alright?" the red furred beast smirked and nodded his head at Zack's direction.

"Don't worry about that Tifa, I have everything I need." He growled at Zack playfully, the man shot him a small glare before Nanaki chuckled and disappeared into the night.

Zack shook his head as Tifa kept giggling all the way, holding the door open for her and locking the bar afterwards.

"What do you say we pop in a movie? I think I know a good one I haven't watched in a while." Zack grinned and briefly went upstairs, before jogging quietly back down to Tifa.

He held up the DVD " _Changing Sides"_ ah a comedy film.

"I thought everything was destroyed, where did you dig this out from?" Tifa asked, a brow raised in surprise.

Zack grinned and confessed:" Nah, I managed to save this, it…it was a gift from Kunsel. He gave it to me after I have been appointed to First Class, we watched it together and had a good laugh. I admit, it's a bit on the romantic side but it mostly has really funny scenes. Not my favorite one but it's really not bad."

Tifa smiled and took the DVD from him, taking a couple of sweets with her as she jumped on the couch and called:" You coming slow poke?" Zack grinned and speed walked to the couch, jumping on the spot next to Tifa, eyeing the sweets she brought with her mischievously.

Tifa protectively pulled the sweets, consisting of chocolate, cookies, lollipops and chips, closer to herself, "It helps me think alright…" Zack chuckled and plucked a lollipop from the bunch, ignoring her feigned look of shock.

Tifa had already started the movie.

"Hey Zack…" Tifa whispered as if they were in a cinema.

"Hmm?" he hummed, his eyes focused on the screen.

"What's the movie about?" Tifa blinked innocently, chewing on a chip.

"You'll find out. No spoilers!" Zack playfully snapped at her, motioning with a finger to his mouth to be quiet, Tifa pouted.

Half an hour passed and Tifa was watching the movie intently, it depicted a married couple, Ariane and Dante, with their two children, they were increasingly stressful from their jobs, the reparations at their home, their duties in the family and their love lives. In order to save their marriage, Ariane got the idea to switch lives/roles for the duration of a whole year. Her husband refused at first, they consult a judiciary officer who helps them seal the deal and emotionally supports them on their way to save their marriage.

As the film progressed, Zack laughed at the scene where Dante was driving his wife's car, which was pink, to bring the kids to school, who were late, _again_. The teacher that came to open the gates for them sent Dante a flirty wink before leading the children by their hands inside the school building. Dante scratched his head and was confused, all the while angry drivers kept shouting for him to move the car out of the way.

"Oh hell, I understand Dante a bit." Tifa gave Zack a confused look, shifting farther away from him in comedic fear.

Zack chuckled and explained:" Hey, Aerith forced me to build her thousands of flower wagons and I helped her sell them, I liked spending time with her, but after we didn't get any costumers, she had the _brilliant_ idea of decorating my hair with flowers and I was appointed to attract the customers.

I was forced to wear a incredibly tight shirt and I didn't understand why we constantly got female customers all the time, but then it clicked later on and I refused to ever stand there just for show…I felt so used…smiling there and looking pretty as I was…" Zack sniffed, wiping a imaginary tear away from his blue eyes.

Tifa rolled her eyes and gently elbowed him, he chuckled and they continued to watch the movie.

They watched as at first, Ariane and Dante were completely incompetent and at a loss of what to do, the first thing Ariane, at Dante's construction equipment rental company, did was issue the command to replace the coffee machine with a new one.

Tifa released a dreamy sigh when one of Ariane, or rather Dante's, business colleagues called Flanvart, who was very handsome, smiled at Ariane. Zack rose an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

"He's cute," Tifa commented playfully, eating from the bag of chips.

"He's lame," Zack also ate from the bag, "You'll see in the end, she will find out that he sleeps with everyone in the company. All the good-lookin' guys do." He said it so nonchalantly that Tifa laughed, "Besides…who the hell's name is _Flanvart_ of all things? Midgar must have been in a pinch then," he shook his head.

"Oh? So that means you've slept with everyone in SOLDIER?" she teased him playfully before Zack shot her a dark, playful look.

"Oho, you think I'm good-looking? Why thank you sweets." Zack chuckled as Tifa shoved him, rapidly shoving Choccobo chips into her mouth to avoid saying anything anymore embarrassing.

Zack and Tifa groaned at the same time when the typical cliché of the annoying mother came into view. The mother of Ariane, Lise, wasn't pleased at all that her daughter and son-in-law switched lives, she watched in horror how Dante was turning into a woman and her beloved Ariane was turning into a land shark.

That's why she stormed inside the office of Gray, the law officer who helped and gave tips to Ariane and Dante, demanding that he annulled the whole arrangement. But he calmly protested and showed her the document with the signatures of both Ariane and Dante, it was foolproof.

Zack whistled when Gray invited the woman out on a so called date in a fancy restaurant which, much to their disappointment, would be showed later.

"I wonder what's going to happen on their date…maybe she will beat him up with her purse…" she whispered to Zack, feeling excited.

"I don't remember it anymore but I remember that Kunsel and I were pretty embarrassed when we watched some of the scenes, I don't remember why though."

Well, soon enough Zack did remember. And he wanted to shoot himself. _Now_ Zack remembered why he almost slapped Kunsel's helmet off his head for purchasing this movie, it had been filmed in Sector 6 and _everyone_ knew what in Sector 6 was… _Don Corneo_

It was a freaking movie filmed in Sector 6, what did he expect? _Of course_ there would be in some way, shape or form sex scenes in there! Zack shook his head, his cheeks burning slightly, hell Tifa would kill him once she recognized some of the scenery.

The first steamy scene, if you could call it that, they encountered was surprisingly on Gray and Lise's "date".

They met in a restaurant with low lights, Gray dressed in a elegant suit while Lise came in her casual attire. As they sat and argued, more on Lise's side than not, Gray, instead of talking back, suddenly started complimenting her.

Describing her as a woman, her face, her beauty, detailed descriptions of the shape of her breast…etc.

"Oh my god," Tifa crossed her arms over her chest defensively, shivering, "I just got a bad case of goose bumps!" meanwhile next to her, leaning heavily against the arm of the couch, Zack was laughing his ass off, courtesy of Tifa's behavior.

"Damn it Lockhart, how can you get goose bumps? Little ol' Gray was just complimenting her!" Zack ran a hand down his face and crossed his legs, staring at Tifa with amusement.

"W-well, I would feel slightly defensive if a guy I just met starts describing me so intimately!" Tifa's blush was adorable to Zack, she was adorable.

He scooted closer, his grin playful and sinful as he said with a wiggle of his eyebrows:" Oh? So, would I be a bad boy if I started describing you?" Tifa's eyes widened as she looked at Zack, whose eyes shone in amusement.

"Don't you even dare…"

"Oh, where do I begin!" he placed a hand over his forehead dramatically, peeking at Tifa with one eye," How I shall describe thee, with thou beautiful legs and thou beautiful face, eyes the color of scarlet roses blooming in the midst of thee summer day, lips that lure the weaker race in thee spell, emotions burning with the intensity of a thousand suns and more!

And that hair!" Zack's voice was higher than normal accompanied by dramatic gestures with his hands, one hand on his chest and the other outstretched towards Tifa.

The woman in question rested a hand over her eyes, too embarrassed to look at the handsome SOLDIER currently describing her in a very comical fashion.

And then she burst out laughing.

"Ohh how I adore thee!" Zack continued with his act, he enjoyed making Tifa laugh and smile. And he enjoyed seeing and hearing it quite a lot too. He realized with a start that he had somewhat made it his personal mission to make her happy as often as he could.

After their session of cracking jokes, making parodies of the last minutes of the movie and laughing together they went to clean up the mess they made.

As they finished cleaning the table of the sweets they ate earlier, Zack spotted Tifa staring out the window, lost in thought.

He approached her slowly, placing a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently.

"Don't worry, he's fine Tifa." The woman in question sighed, closing her eyes briefly before opening them and looking straight up at Zack.

"What if Genesis lost them? What if Vincent and him got captured and Hojo is performing experiments on them?" her tone grew increasingly worried, Zack frowned at her distressed state.

"Hey, hey, don't worry. We shouldn't jump to conclusions when we don't even know what's going on. They are most likely just keeping watch tonight, memorizing their patrols, trying to gather useful information. And Genesis is no pushover in a fight and I think Vince can handle himself pretty well too. I don't think we should worry about that, Teef."

Tifa released a small sigh, her nerves easing slightly at Zack's words and the fact he called her by her nickname again. She actually liked it when he did that, of course, she would never admit it out loud.

"C'mon, it's late and we ain't getting any younger." Zack teased with a small, hopeful grin.

Tifa smiled and playfully shoved him, "You mean _you_ aren't getting any younger with your eighty something years Fair." The raven haired man held a hand to his heart, wincing as if in pain, Tifa just shook her head and brushed passed him.

Zack chuckled and shook his head, following her and switching the lights off in the bar.

Both quietly approached the door to the children's bedroom, opening it just so they could see the children sound asleep, Marlene clutching her Choccobo plushie tightly in her arms while Denzel hair obscured nearly his entire face, hiding the signs of Geostigma…

They smiled and closed the door as quietly as they opened it and soon they found themselves in the middle of the hallway, standing awkwardly in front of their respective rooms.

Zack and Tifa didn't want the night to end yet, but what else was there to do? They couldn't go out again, Nanaki was gone and they didn't want to leave the kids alone, even if they were asleep.

"Hey, um, Zack…?" Tifa quietly said, her gaze directed at the floor.

"Y-yeah?" he internally cursed his stuttering, well at least he knew he wasn't the only nervous one here.

"I-I have some board games and cards we could play.." at his surprised look, she quickly added," I-if you want, I mean, you don't have to of course, we could just go to bed and-"

Zack cut Tifa off with a warm grin, "I'd like that," at Zack's smoldering gaze Tifa straightened and took a calming breath, before she opened her bedroom door and went in search of those board games.

* * *

 _Perched on top of a roof_

"It appears to me like they will begin to play strip poker," Vincent's calm, collected voice did nothing to soothe the reaction his partner-in-crime.

" _WHAT?! TURN ON THE CAMERA! I'M COMING OVER DAMN IT!"_ Yuffie's hysteric, disbelieving voice could be heard shouting loudly from the phone.

"Oh, no…sorry, they're just playing cards."

" _EXACTLY HOW DID YOU DEDUCE THEY WERE PLAYING_ _ **STRIP**_ _POKER?!"_

"It's very late…they're two adults in a bedroom…I was thinking forward." Vincent couldn't suppress a chuckle, he just loved teasing Yuffie.

" _Ha ha, very funny Mr.I-think-I'm-too-cool-for-a-hairbrush."_ Vincent shook his head, resting his arm against his knee as he observed the duo.

* * *

"Your loss. Give me the Choccobo woman." Zack held his hand out with a wide grin, Tifa mumbled something under her breath as she gave her precious card to Zack, a green Choccobo, deadly in combat with amazing healing abilities.

"How comes I always lose the medics? You stole my Cait Sith and green Choccobo!" Tifa accused Zack playfully, cradling her remaining cards protectively against her chest.

"Tough luck. Besides, _you_ stole my Tonberry _and_ Behemoth!" Tifa crossed her arms, great. She only had three medics left, if she chose her next move carefully she just may get back her monsters.

"Take that Fair!" she slammed down "Tonberry", smirking when Zack's face paled.

"Now you're pushing it Lockhart! That's just unfair, using my strongest baby against me!" he pouted, crossing his muscled arms.

"I want a rematch!" Zack threateningly waved his remaining two cards at Tifa's face.

"We already had six! We are even." She paused for a moment, before thinking out loud, "I wonder how such a innocent looking thing can be the deadliest monster you'd have the luck to encounter…"

Zack shook his head with a sigh as he shrugged, "Beats me, Tonberries look all cute and innocent but one move from that kitchen knife and you're dead." Both were quite, before they burst out laughing.

"Hey Teef…" she perked up, looking at him expectantly.

"Let's play Truth or Dare!" he looked very excited, grinning from ear to ear.

Tifa saw no harm in that, she trusted Zack wouldn't make her do any weird dares, not that she would choose them anyway.

"Alright. I'll start. Truth or dare?"

"Dare me Lockhart," Tifa grinned, a finger resting innocently on her chin as she looked around the room.

"I dare you to open the window and shout out, but not enough so the children hear, that you love and adore Tonberries above anything!" Tifa's grin was quivering, willing herself not to giggle at Zack's mortified expression.

Well damn…

He sighed heavily and sluggishly moved to his feet, walking toward the window. He opened it, rolled his shoulders and cupped his hands over his mouth.

"I FREAKING LOVE TONBERRIES! I LOVE HOW GREEN THEY ARE AND HOW CUTE THEY LOOK WITH A KITCHEN KNIFE IN THEIR HANDS! I LOVE HOW THEY HAVE THOSE KILLER EYES AND THAT FUNNY FISH TAIL THINGY!" he made sure he controlled his volume so as to not wake the kids up, thank god that they were heavy sleepers.

"WE DON'T CARE WHAT SORT OF FETISH YOU HAVE UP THERE! KEEP THAT INSIDE YOUR BEDROOM DAMN IT!" a guy across the street shouted back

"STOP IT TIM! LET THE MAN HAVE FANTASIES IF HE WANTS TO! YOU DREAM OF CHOCCOBO CHICKS EVERY DAMN NIGHT!" another man from his own window shouted at the man across the street.

"CAN IT LUKE! THOSE ARE REAL CHICKS!"

* * *

 _Perched on the same roof…_

"Did you hear that?"

" _Loud and clear."_ Yuffie was laughing hard on the other end of the phone, while Vincent let out a few low chuckles of his own, what a mess.

" _Now I'm damn interested in that game they're playing."_

"This time, you're not alone Yuffie," Vincent smirked, grinning.

* * *

Tifa and Zack burst out laughing, muffling their laughs in pillows to tone them down. Zack rolled on his stomach on the floor, shaking with laughter while Tifa laid her head on his shoulder, laughing quietly.

It took them a while to calm down, after they straightened up, Zack was still chuckling as he posed Tifa the famous question, " Truth or d-dare?" he shook his head and calmed down from his earlier laughing fit.

Tifa giggled, "Truth," ah damn…she played it safe.

"Hmm…alright. What was your most embarrassing moment? Ever?" he leaned in as he looked at Tifa with rapt interest.

She blushed while biting her lip, before she confessed:" Um….w-well…" she looked off to the side, "I had just been done taking a shower…"

"Ok, the story starts out good already." Zack grinned, bumping shoulders with Tifa playfully as she smacked his chest.

"Oh shut it you…anyway…I didn't know someone was in the bar aside from me, Denzel and Marlene, so I just went to the washroom downstairs to get my dry shirt. I dropped the towel to dress myself but..uhm….Cid barged in…"

Zack's eyes widened, "He…saw you naked?" Tifa's blush heated darkly

"Well…not really..I mean I used the shirt to cover myself…then I threw a chair and ironing board at him…" she blushed, shaking her head.

"Poor guy…" Zack shivered, feeling sympathy for the old pilot. Hell, the poor man probably hadn't known what hit him, _literally_ , until he saw Tifa's almost naked state and in the next millisecond a chair and a ironing board came crashing into him.

"My turn! Truth or dare?"

"Truth," he didn't trust her anymore with any dares.

"Did you or did you not eat all the cookies from the cookie jar?"

"It was Denzel I swear!" Zack held his hands up in the air in defense, Tifa laughed.

"Alright, sorry, now for the real question."

"That wasn't the real question?" Tifa lightly punched his arm for that remark

"What…why did you decide to stay in SOLDIER even after you found out the truth?" the question surprised Zack, this had been the _last_ question he had been expecting.

At his slightly conflicted expression Tifa quickly interjected:" I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked such a question, you don't have to-"

"It's alright Teef," the use of her nickname somehow reassured her nerves, but it did nothing to soothe her discomfort at asking such a personal question on her first date…yeah…date…

Zack cleared his throat, feeling it suddenly tighten, "Before I…before Angeal went up to the Lifestream, he had been the sole reason I kept going but I also wanted answers from Shinra, why they forced my friends into fleeing from them, why they wouldn't help the people from the slums…I never got any answers, I only saw the harsh reality later on, after Angeal's death. I hadn't done any missions in a long time, I didn't talk to anyone, Sephiroth had been isolated too at that time.

Shinra, in case Sephiroth ever found out the truth of his heritage, had used Jenova to keep him chained to Shinra but the plan backfired. Sephiroth had gone insane, destroyed everything…he had become what he never was before, a monster. Genesis kept quoting "LOVELESS", saying that the three protagonists in the story remind him of himself, Angeal and Sephiroth. He always spoke of himself as if he really were a monster, something horrid. But the real monsters were the entire company all along. Old man Shinra, Hojo, Hollander, Scarlet…every last one of them…"

Zack's fist tightened before he exhaled softly and continued," After Angeal died I lost my way for a while, not even Aerith was able to bring me back. Then Cloud asked me once about the Buster Sword, about how I never used it in battle. That's where I remembered the first time I asked Angeal that, how we met when I was just a Third, how he accepted me as his pupil…protected me and guided me up the ranks…" Zack's gaze was rooted to the floor, but Tifa knew he was swimming in memories long passed.

"The will to fight, to continue hoping for tomorrow and for a better future…at first I thought of it as a foolish dream….but I made it my goal ever since. And I plan on fighting till the end again." He looked Tifa seriously in the eyes, she was slightly startled at how serious he was.

She smiled tenderly and rested her warm hand on his shoulder, "And I'll fight with you till the end." She promised with a serious look and a soft, meaningful smile.

He raised his hand to rest it on top of her own, squeezing gently, letting his warmth seep into her skin.

They felt stronger now for some odd reason, like they could save the Planet the next day. If only it were so easy…

"Let's call it a night, I feel those bones aging already." Zack grinned, lightening the mood a bit.

Tifa giggled and nodded, helping him clean up their card games. Zack stood outside of her bedroom, facing Tifa as she addressed him with a smile

"Thank you so much for today Zack…it was…wonderful." Her smile made his heart give a tug, he brushed it off.

"It's alright Teef, I had a lot of fun tonight too. Never pegged you for the Tonberry-stealing type." He winked playfully

"Well, I guess you still need to learn some things about me," she meant it as a joke but when Zack suddenly leaned closer to her to whisper in her ear, her brain momentarily stopped working.

"And I've got the time to do it too." He smirked, telling her a last good night before they parted ways. Tifa quickly closed her door and sighed, feeling sad that it was over but happy all the same that Zack had gone through so much to gift her those hours of relaxation and freedom.

* * *

"You can come out now Vincent," Zack was leaning against the wall outside of Seventh Heaven, his arms and legs crossed as he closed his eyes, trying to detect any noises.

There.

With a soft, barely audible rustle of cloth, Vincent landed gracefully on the ground, in front of Zack.

"How did you know?" Vincent's eyes were slightly narrowed in suspicion.

Zack opened his eyes and shrugged, "I realized Kadaj and his gang would never be so patient as to wait for hours for the opening to arise. I left an obvious opening tonight, any enemy would have taken it, from there I knew it wasn't an enemy. And you're the only one aside from maybe Cloud who has enough patience and stealth to track and follow us without alerting Tifa. At least of your real identity."

Vincent smirked faintly," I see, you're perceptive Fair, unlike how word spreads about you,"

"Oh? There are rumors?"

Vincent shook his head, "Not exactly, call it a family gathering and exchange of information,"

"So, it's the Turks?" Zack grinned

"Yes." Vincent couldn't help but chuckle lowly, nodding.

"I see, of course, who else? Well, greet Yuffie from me will ya? I'm hitting the hay." He waved at Vincent as he once again locked the door to the bar and shut off the lights.

Vincent stood there for several more moments, before his phone started ringing again.

He had another mission to complete.

It required infiltrating the bar and doing something to a certain bartender and former SOLDIER.

 **Phew! I hope you guys enjoyed reading! PLEASE LEAVE ME SOME REVIEWS! I'M STARVIIIING FOR REVIEWWS! Thanks for waiting so long too! ^^ Woah...7k something words for this chapter...longest one I've written so far :3 haha**


	37. The Wake-Up Call & Memories

Daaaaay-O, Daaaaay-O, daylight come and we wanna go home…sheesh, that's how I feel like the past few days. My internship has been stressful to say the least, one of the **biggest reasons** why I can't write fanfic as often as I'd like but do not fret!

Coming July I will have a whole month free! That means definitely faster updates with shorter intervals between chapters! :D **Enjoy everyone!**

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS: Astrid Midnight: ** Ho, "another awesome chapter" huh? Why thank you! Haha I aim to please! ;)

 **AkaiArashi1:** Thanks buddy, I could definitely incorporate it in future chapters when I want to write more light hearted scenes! Maybe I will even write one with everyone from AVALANCHE and the Turks involved, that would be hilarious! :D

 **Numinous-Alqua:** Hehe you'll see in this chapter just what his awesome mission was! Haha Thanks for the review!

* * *

 **Chapter 37: The Wake-Up Call & Memories**

 _"_ _My own heroes are the dreamers, those men and women who tried to make the world a better place than when they found it, whether in small ways or great ones. Some succeeded, some failed, most had mixed results... but it is the effort that's heroic, as I see it. Win or lose, I admire those who fight the good fight."  
― __**George R.R. Martin**_

Tifa slowly woke up, feeling unnaturally warm and well-rested, usually she would be tired but this time she felt as if she had the best sleep she could remember ever having.

As all her senses started to function again properly, she felt a heavy, strong arm resting on her stomach, calloused fingers splayed over the surface. A hard, warm body was pressed closely to hers from behind, practically trapping her in a cocoon.

She felt someone's chin resting atop her head, the man's steady breathing and heartbeat against her back had a calming effe-

"Would you look at that Cid, our dear innocent Tifa said she didn't expect anything from their little date. Hmm…I wonder if he was any good?"

Cid almost choked on his own spit, "The hell?! Oh no, this pilot's too old to be having these conversations while sober!" he exclaimed gruffly, crossing his arms.

"Suit yourself, Cid! Well, I heard SOLDIERs have enhanced senses and everything from the mako in their bodies. Who knows? Maybe something _else_ is enhanced too? Or their stamina is greatly increased?" Yuffie said this with a minx smile, a hand rubbing her chin in thought.

Cid dragged a hand down his face in exasperation, "Why don't you ask Vince that?"

"But he's not a SOLDIER!" Yuffie whined, stomping her foot childishly and pouting, "You know…I chose the right man for the job. Vincent did an excellent job of carrying them here and putting them like this on the bed! It's perfect! Too bad he didn't take off their clothes…"

Cid rolled his eyes and grabbed the back of her shirt, "Come on kid, let the people have their peace." He dragged a protesting Yuffie out of the bedroom.

Tifa's face was pink, she managed to partially fight down her blush, keeping her eyes closed and her breathing as even as possible to not alert either of them she was awake until they fully exited and closed the door behind them.

She slowly opened her eyes after a few moments, exhaling softly in relief,

"So, have I been any good?" Tifa's eyes widened in shock she almost jumped if the arm on her stomach hadn't pulled her back toward him, her heart beat erratically from the deep, husky voice right behind her, too close to her ear for comfort.

Zack chuckled softly when she turned her head around to shoot him a glare, he grinned innocently and stretched on the bed like a cat.

"Geez, never knew you would be a screamer Lockhart" Zack grinned devilishly when Tifa turned her back to him and buried her face in her pillow, trying to hide from the far too handsome man beside her, dressed in a plain, black short sleeved shirt, his hair even messier than usual and his voice entirely too husky, the evidence of him just waking up.

Suddenly Zack sat up, his feet touching the floor as he moved a arm back to scratch at his neck bashfully," Um…I…just so you know I uh…I didn't do anything, " he turned his head away from her, having just initiated a staring contest with the wall. He lost.

A soft, warm smile grew on Tifa's lips, "It's a-alright Zack…I know you didn't…thank you for yesterday," he seemingly perked up at this, his awkwardness forgotten for the time being.

"Heh, you're welcome. That was a blast, wasn't it?" he grinned widely and Tifa giggled at his excited face.

"Yeah, it was. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun," she blushed in embarrassment, Zack scratched the back of his neck before he stood up to stretch.

Tifa pointedly ignored the visible muscles stretching and bulging beneath his shirt, instead she stood up as well, "Um, I'll go to the bathroom to change,"

Zack hummed in reply, still busy stretching his stiff limbs as Tifa grabbed fresh clothes from her closet and hurriedly walked inside the bathroom and locked it.

The minute the click sounded, both simultaneously slumped to the floor and muttered:" Damn it…"

Zack ran a hand through his hair, leaning against the bed on the floor, his heart pounding in his chest. In truth, he _hadn't_ woken up just a few minutes ago, oh _no_.

He had been awake for far longer than that, while in his mind, it was far too cheesy for his taste, he had spent it _occasionally_ watching Tifa sleep.

Oh great, now he felt like a creep.

It wasn't particularly in the way she slept, though that had been interesting too – the first position he caught her in was snuggling his arm, practically hugging it like a pillow to her and resting her cheek against his shoulder, the _second_ position had been even _more_ interesting.

Either way the dream – whatever the hell it was he would try to find out and get her to dream it more often – had been pretty good for Tifa, because her leg, oh so long, strong but elegant at the same time, managed to suddenly rest across his legs, her arm draped over his chest and her nose softly pressed against the crook of his neck.

If he hadn't already been awake that would have caused quite the interesting dreams for him too.

 _Ahem_ …the third position was possibly the cutest of all. Zack had been forced to shift onto his side, her hands were suddenly starting to become too questioning in his opinion, as if she were searching for a blanket or a stuffed toy to hold onto, and just like that she had curled into a ball and snuggled into him.

She had the cutest half smile on her face he had ever seen. He was sure even stoic, all business, pre-madness Sephiroth would have cooed, or something close to it anyway, at the adorable sight.

That was also the position which made his heart rate pick up alarmingly, as if he had run for miles on end, because Tifa's hand, which had been on his shoulder, had grabbed his.

And she didn't let go.

Not even when he had tried to gently pry away her hand, they interlocked with his, obviously intending to stay like that.

Zack's blue eyes were stuck like glue to them, gazing intensely at them. While he knew the gesture had been unintentional, it had stirred something within him.

Something he thought he had lost when he heard of Aerith's passing.

It was that…fondness…he wasn't sure he could call it… _love_ quite yet, but he knew, the feelings, however mixed up they were, were strong.

And that was when his mind drifted onto Cloud.

Zack shook his head, running his hand through his spiky hair again.

He wondered what Cloud was doing, if he was alright, where he was now…was he still with the remnants or did he manage to gain control and escape somewhere?

" _Cloud…"_ Zack looked at the picture of Cloud, Tifa, Denzel and Marlene. He noted the particular sad look on Cloud's face, as well as Denzel's.

Zack's guess was, it was taken at the time Cloud had adopted Denzel, a boy with Geostigma and predetermined fate, and had contracted the disease itself.

Through years and years of honing his skills and extra meditation, Zack had learned to be more perceptive than his past "puppy" persona. However subtle some people, Tifa included, tried to be, Zack had picked up on the slightest shift in mood or atmosphere.

He knew Tifa felt embarrassed about…well…waking up next to him in the morning, but he also knew she didn't seem particularly _disgusted_ either…or maybe it was his ego getting to his head.

Angeal had told him how much of an airhead he had been and how his ego was sometimes bigger than his sword.

Angeal…

Zack clenched his fist, he sighed and rested his closed fist against his forehead, trying to create a few possible back up plans when Genesis and Vincent return.

Depending on what the outcome will be, they either immediately storm straight inside the Forgotten city, though that was the more reckless and foolish approach or they track the remnant's movements for a few weeks and storm the hideout when they aren't there.

That would also mean Hojo would be alone.

However…

" _What if the crazy bastard has some lackeys there? Trust a mad, paranoid scientist to have some guards stationed at the entrance or at least with him at all times in case break ins happen. Hojo isn't dumb, he knows we are here, he must know I'm alive as well, this will just make things more difficult!"_ Zack stood up and looked out the window, " _What's more, they threatened to kidnap Marlene and Denzel. That wasn't an empty threat, trust Hojo to do anything from defiling a young woman to kidnapping kids,"_

Zack ran a hand through his hair again, a nasty habit he had picked from his father and later Angeal.

"If you continue doing that your hair will look worse than a bird's nest," Tifa's voice teased him, he turned around to look at her, she was fully dressed in her casual attire.

Zack grinned easily, for now pushing his thoughts aside, "Heh, yeah I guess." He smiled at her

"Ready to go?" Tifa looked at him expectantly,

Zack nodded, motioning for her to exit the room first, Tifa giggled at his gentlemanly behavior and was the first, much to her embarrassment, to be greeted from none other than the Turks, all sitting at the bar.

Eh?

"Oh…what are you guys doing here yo?" Tifa tried to imitate Reno, winking at the surprised redhead, who wasn't expecting that from her.

Reno grinned like the devil, "Oh nothing, don't worry there, we arrived late enough so we didn't have to hear your screams and moans all the way down here yo," he winked, sipping from his glass, filled with water.

Tifa blushed bright red, lightly pulling on Reno's pony tail, releasing it from its usual confines, making the pilot fuss about it and frantically try to redo his pony tail.

Tseng couldn't help but smirk, before he cleared his throat, "Apologies for intruding so suddenly here, Miss Lockhart, but Genesis called us last night,"

That immediately caught Zack and Tifa's attention, "Last night? Why didn't he call us?" Zack asked confused, scratching the back of his neck,

"He did, several times. He said you didn't pick up," Tseng rose an eyebrow, an obvious question behind his closed mouth.

"Probably been busy dirtying the clean laundry-ow!" Reno yelped, glaring at Rude, who was shooting him such a menacing look that even Reno grumbled and pointedly ignored his aching head.

"Thank you Rude, here you go," Tifa smiled sweetly and refilled Rude's glass, the tall, intimidating Turk muttered a shy 'thanks' and wished he had something stronger than water in his glass to further mask his blush that was thankfully almost invisible beneath his dark complexion.

Zack glared playfully and shook his head at Reno's words, before he leaned his hand against the counter, "Weird…we didn't hear anything last night did we Teef? We've stayed up late playing cards," he smiled,

Tifa smiled back, "Yeah, we did. Oh! Did you know one of our neighbors dreams of Choccobo chicks at night?" Tifa smirked widely, winking at Zack, whose face turned an interesting color of pink in a matter of seconds as she addressed the Turks.

"Huh? Are we talkin' about real chicks or the big, feathery chicks that look like Spike's hair?" Reno cocked an eyebrow, eyeing the Zack and Tifa with a mixture of suspicion and confusion, "And how the hell do you know that yo?"

"Well, last night Zack-"

"Oh look, it's Denzel and Marlene!" Zack announced quite loudly, making Tifa giggle behind her hand as Zack practically tackled the still sleepy children. That had forced them awake.

"Ugh…easy there…" Marlene muttered, almost instantly falling asleep, resting her head against Zack's shoulder, her little hand lazily petting Zack's head, as if he were a puppy. Denzel was snoozing on his other shoulder.

Zack blinked, he wrapped his arms around both of them and carefully straightened himself, cradling them against his chest, their heads touching and resting against his chest comfortably.

He looked at Tifa questioningly, the woman frowned and whispered to the sleeping children," Marlene, Denzel, wake up. Breakfast will be ready soon," she gently shook them, trying to gently rouse them from sleep but they barely budged.

Denzel yawned, nuzzling Zack's shoulder and gripping his shirt, Zack smiled warmly.

"Let them sleep in, seems like they had a rough night. I'll put them to bed and come down again," Zack quietly whispered, lovingly cradling the orphans in his arms and slowly walking toward their room to put them to sleep.

Tifa couldn't help but gaze at Zack's back as the former SOLDIER carried Marlene and Denzel up the stairs, like a father carrying his sleeping children to bed.

Reno whistled quietly, "Now that's what I call husband material, yo." Tifa shook her head and ignored his remark, taking Reno's mug away from him.

"Hey!" the redhead protested, before Tifa placed his mug in front of him again, filled with milk, "What am I a runt now?" Reno rose an annoyed eyebrow

"You still have to grow, now shut up and drink your vitamins Reno," the red haired pilot grumbled something under his breath about "moody females in the morning" before he drank his milk.

"Back to the mission," Tifa was all business again, "Did Genesis tell you anything important?"

Tseng straightened his jacket, "Vincent and Genesis have watched the remnants the entire night, after they retreated to inside their hideout, they dared to go any closer. They…" Tseng looked extremely uncomfortable, "They saw Hojo…and Cloud,"

Tifa tried not to look panicked, she took deep, calming breath, "…What did they see?"

The Turk's expression turned grim, "Hojo has a lab, a large and well equipped one at that. He…he has been infusing mako in Cloud's body, probably to grant Sephiroth easier access to his mind and let him take control for longer periods of time. However…"

Tifa bit her lip, "They saw other people there….civilians."

"No…" Tifa suspected the worst, unfortunately she was right.

Tseng nodded, the atmosphere turning frosty, "Hojo is injecting mako into them as well, but that's not all. Genesis reported they…turned into monsters…Shadow Creepers, Behemoths…anything. Hojo isn't just giving them mako, it's something else as well. The mako is either tainted or he is infusing a second dosage of his own mixture, we can't be sure."

This was even worse than what Tifa initially thought, she gripped the counter tightly, her eyes wide and shocked.

"That bastard," Zack's voice rang through the deathly silent bar, his gaze was furious, "What the hell is Hojo thinking? Turning innocent civilians into monsters now? Has he completely lost it?!" the former SOLDIER grit his teeth, his mako blue eyes glowing fiercely.

"Zack, you mustn't let your emotions dictate your actions, we must proceed carefully, the remnants have threatened you directly-"

"Bullshit Tseng! I don't care if they threatened _me_ , you and the others will stay with Tifa from now on, I'll personally go and hunt down those bastards, I have to save those people _somehow_! Dilly-dallying here won't get us anywhere, that just means that more people will be turned to monsters!"

"Zack…Tseng is right, if we get too ahead of ourselves we might make a wrong move and offer a opportunity to the remnants, we can't have that." Tifa tried to calm the angry SOLDIER, but that didn't work.

His fist tightened, a shadow passing over his eyes, "Marlene…just now when I tucked her into bed…she asked me if something bad will happen, if we will all be alright…" Zack's blue eyes were sharp and clear when he lifted his head to look at Tifa,

"I promised her that everything _will_ be alright and I don't break my promises. I know how Hojo ticks, if those remnants are anything like Sephiroth as their roles suggest, then I won't have much to fuss over concerning figuring out his mind. They fight similarly like Sephiroth on the battlefield, I can devise a plan to lure them away from the Forgotten City and take Hojo down. The only problem would be Cloud if he is in Sephiroth's control…"

"Woah, there, slow down porcupine." Zack glared mildly at Reno, "We don't even know if there are any other guards except for those leather cosplayers and Spike. What if you're outnumbered? I know your story, hell I've _seen_ the bloodbath you can create with that big ass sword of yours, yo, but I don't think it's clever to approach this one head on. Let's call the boss for this,"

"I already talked with Rufus, his men are limited, in fact, only you guys remain loyal to him. AVALANCHE is preoccupied by training for when the remnants attack, I may get Genesis and Vincent as backup but otherwise I'll handle those bastards myself," Zack smirked, "After all, I defeated an entire division of SOLDIER, that counts for something right?"

"Need I remind you that you were struck down and were just barely alive when we found you?" Tseng dryly reminded the former SOLDIER, crossing his arms.

"That time I had to ensure Cloud was safe, but now there is much more at stake," he chanced a quick glance at Tifa, "More importantly, Cloud and other innocent people are in danger, in Hojo's lab no less, I won't let that monster lay a harming hand on anyone else," Reno's eyes widened as Zack's expression turned darker at the thought of Hojo.

"You really despise the guy huh?" Reno couldn't help but ask, his gaze calming slightly.

"He experimented on us for three years, treated us like rats, sent Cloud into a fucking coma, destroyed Sephiroth's chance at having a normal life with friends and he pulled the strings in everything, the mako injections, Genesis and Angeal's defection from SOLDIER…Nibelheim…" Zack didn't need to look at Tifa to know she swallowed at the mention of her destroyed hometown.

Rude and Reno shared a look, Tseng sighed and took a sip from his water, mulling over Zack's words.

Zack didn't have a chance to place one foot forward before Tifa stopped him, "Where are you going? It's still early,"

"I need to arrange something with Aaron, should be back by supper. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine, I promise," he sent her a reassuring smile, but Tifa saw how troubled he truly was.

Nonetheless, she nodded, offering the Turks some breakfast to which they gladly accepted and thanked her for kindly.

* * *

"Zack?" Aaron blinked, seeing the troubled young man in front of his garage, a determined, fierce aura about him.

"Aaron…I need your help,"

"I'm all ears, boy," it was funny how Aaron occasionally called him "boy" when Zack was an adult, but that didn't bother the country boy in the least.

"I want to ask you if you could give Lycana a tune up, make her more resilient against bullets and swords, think you can do that?", immediately a look of concern flashed across Aaron's face.

"Zack…what are you planning?" he crossed his large, muscular arms, a stern glare set into place. Zack scratched the back of his neck under his scrutiny.

"I just want to protect my family and friends, is all,"

"Zack,"

"If I want to protect them successfully I need all the help I can get,"

"Then why don't you ask your friends for help? I've heard of their fighting prowess. Why are you charging straight into battle alone? Again," the implication of the old man's words didn't fall on deaf ears, Zack shifted from one foot to the other.

"I want to protect them and keep them away, I don't want the same outcome I had with Cloud,"

"You won't. Now you have friends to back you up, _use_ that opportunity." Aaron was quite for a moment, before a thought hit him.

"Aaron, if you don't wanna help me just say so-"

"I never said I didn't want to help you, Zack, I just said to accept help from your friends. If you had had friends at your side back then, the outcome would have been different," that same grim look overtook Aaron's features.

Zack shrugged, "I'm still alive aren't I?"

"After almost being shot to death and been in a coma for months after," Aaron retorted dryly, glaring sternly at Zack.

A sigh escaped the former SOLDIER, "You're right but… after Angeal died, I learned not to trust everybody like I used to, I learned that not even the company you work for can be completely trusted. In the end they stabbed me in the back and betrayed me," Zack's tone turned bitter, the fire in his eyes resurfacing.

"But you didn't stray from the right path, Angeal helped guide your way in the world, your friends help you maintain that path even when your mentor is gone," Aaron's smile was soft but small.

"I guess so…" Zack cleared his throat, feeling it suddenly constrict with his raging emotions.

"Come on, let's look at her now," Zack quickly focused and followed Aaron into his garage, pushing Lycana inside as well.

* * *

"Yuffie, that wasn't funny…" Tifa sat with her arms crossed over her chest, a bright pink covering her cheeks as she turned her back to her best friend.

"Aw come on Teef, you can't tell me you didn't enjoy waking up beside that handsome devil…" the Wutai ninja winked playfully, patting Tifa on the back.

"It was embarrassing…the worst thing was Zack had heard everything that you and Cid said at the door!"

"Everything?"

" _Everything_!"

"Oh….so, was he good?"

" _Ugh!_ " Tifa wanted to rip her hair out, she playfully shoved Yuffie's shoulder, quickly getting up and setting a couple of bottles on display on the higher shelf of the bar.

"What? It was just a question…" Yuffie waited for a few minutes but Tifa stubbornly get silent, "So…you won't tell me any juicy details huh? I swear Tifa, getting juicy details from you is like pulling teeth from a Faeryl…" Yuffie shook her head

"There _are no_ juicy details Yuffie! _Nothing_ happened! We are not teenagers high on hormones you know? Sometimes I think you're still stuck being sixteen," Tifa placed her hands on her hips

Yuffie rolled her eyes," Oh please, what grown, hot blooded woman _wouldn't_ revert into a teenager crazy on hormones when being even _near_ the guy? Let alone _waking up next to him in the freaking morning!_ "

" _Don't_ think I didn't know you sent Vincent after us for spying! You're such a sneaky little-"

"Ah-ah-ah, be lucky I just sent him spying," she winked playfully

"Zack and I _somehow_ woke up wrapped around each-other in the same bed," Tifa deadpanned with a straight face

"Hey, hey, hey! I ain't responsible what sort of positions you crazy weirdos try out when I'm not there!" Yuffie defended herself with sticking out her tongue at Tifa playfully

"At least tell me this – did you enjoy yourself? Were you happy?" the innocent nature of her questions startled Tifa a bit, as well as the genuine curiosity and concern in her friends eyes.

"I…yeah…I did…a lot actually…" Tifa cleared her throat

"Would you like to experience it again?" a smile was growing on Yuffie's face,

"….I suppose,"

"Hell! Lock him up in your room naked and don't let him come out!" Yuffie's sudden, perverted retort made Tifa hurl a plastic cup from nowhere at her head, the ninja ducked and laughed.

"Yuffie!" Tifa's red face was enough evidence for Yuffie that the woman was beyond embarrassed, her growing feelings for Zack were only more apparent.

* * *

Zack returned by the time supper was set, surprising Denzel and Marlene with sweets he had bought on his way home.

The children immediately leaped at him, hugging him tightly, showering Zack with hugs, kisses and nuzzles.

Their moods throughout the day had dampened, they told Tifa they had a nightmare of Zack leaving them and when they didn't see him later on in the afternoon when they woke up, they had went into a frenzy to try and find him.

It took both Tifa and Yuffie quite a while to calm the two children, reassuring them that Zack was alright and that he would be back in no time, thankfully that managed to at least ease their worries slightly.

Now that he was back, Marlene and Denzel were cheery once again, sucking on the lollipops Zack had bought for them.

They couldn't suppress giggles from escaping them as Zack sheepishly strolled over to Tifa and held out a white lily, along with a cherry lollipop for her as well.

The barmaid of Seventh Heaven rolled her eyes playfully and delicately placed the beautiful lily inside a small, white vase, while she happily sucked on the lollipop.

"Since when did you revert to the candy man?" Tifa teasingly asked him after he had given her the lollipop.

Zack shrugged, "I realized I can't do things my way all the time." He looked at her seriously, "I'm sorry for being such an ass…I guess I went overboard with the protective thing…" Zack scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

Tifa shook her head in amusement, "It's alright, I understand. Now why don't you dig in? I made pancakes," Tifa smiled sweetly, offering Zack a full plate as Marlene and Denzel ate their own fill on either side of him.

Zack felt a warmth fill his chest, it chased away his demons of the day and made him believe that he was a good man, a man worthy of this…of a family. He pushed those thoughts away for now and instead did as he was told, eating the pancakes with vigor as he watched Tifa smile and laugh out of the corner of his eyes.

He smiled when he thought Tifa wasn't looking.

* * *

Those demons that plagued him by day returned stronger than ever when night fell across the sky and covered the sun's brilliant rays with its impending darkness.

Zack was flat on his back, dressed in a simple, white sleeveless undershirt and shorts, staring at the ceiling.

Vincent and Genesis were yet to be back, Zack suspected they needed some time to return here by foot, after all, it wasn't like the Forgotten City was a park's walk away and Genesis couldn't carry Vincent with his one wing.

Zack had closed his eyes for what he thought was a minute but the next thing he was aware of, he felt chained, constricted, _captured_.

The leering face of Hojo suddenly filled his vision, the filthy stench of _lab_ made the contents of his supper rise up, he immediately tried to move his arms and legs but to his growing horror, he found he couldn't.

He was restrained, bound to a examination table by thick, wide leather restraints. Hojo was leaning over him, a disgusting leer on his face as he rubbed his chin in thought, no doubt thinking of what to do with his subject laid out before him like on a silver platter.

Zack noticed Cloud was also restrained, but he was unmoving, his eyes were dull, uncomprehending, not acknowledging his surroundings at all.

" _Hojo what the hell did you do to him?!"_ Zack desperately tried to free himself, _anything_ get away from this horrible nightmare.

He couldn't.

Hojo grinned sadistically, moving away from Zack and standing now next to Cloud, the large white examination table standing vertically instead of being parallel with the ground like Zack's was.

It was indeed Hojo's lab where Zack found himself at, he remembered the place well, unfortunately. All sorts of grotesque instruments were either strapped precisely to walls or working desks, large tubs filled with mako and other liquids lined one wall while the other held-

 _No._

It couldn't be.

No!

" _Tifa!"_ Zack shouted, now trying only harder to break from his restraints.

The woman gained her bearings after hearing Zack calling her, she looked at him, fear present in her eyes, blood was dripping on one side of her face, her shirt was slightly torn, bruises covered her arms and legs, her face was slightly dirty from battle, her lip was busted and she had a swollen spot on her cheek.

Zack's hatred for the mad scientist only intensified and he only thrashed harder against his restraints, he felt his veins bulging, felt how his restraints pressed against him and tried to compress his blood flow.

" _Hojo!_ " Zack snarled the vile name as if he was spitting out venom, " _Let her and Cloud go! Do whatever the hell you want to me! But let them go!"_ Hojo's smile only grew

" _I can't possibly do that, my dear test subject…there is so much to do and so much time as well…let's see…shall I start with the little ones first? I've already set them up to be ready for the real testing,"_

Wait….

Little ones?

Zack quickly turned his head this way and that, before he focused on two, small containers, _tubes filled with mako_ , that though wasn't what made Zack see red, rather, it was exactly _who_ was inside…

" _Marlene! Denzel!"_ Zack thrashed, his growls growing in volume and intensity as he couldn't free himself. He looked back at Tifa, tears were running down her cheeks as Hojo ran one of his bony fingers against her bloody cheek.

" _Don't you dare touch her you bastard! I'll cut your arm off and beat you up with it!"_

" _Such rude words…my, my, hasn't your mother taught you how to behave properly? For your disobedience, my pet, I shall start with this lovely subject,"_ he grinned as he held Tifa's chin between his fingers.

" _No!"_ Zack shouted, desperately thrashing against his restraints, it was no use, he couldn't escape.

He watched with widened, horror-filled eyes as Hojo took a injection, filled with the disgusting, green liquid and went towards Tifa with it.

However, the mako inside the injection wasn't purely green, it was tinted yellow as well.

Wait…

" _Hojo! Are you using this to turn humans into monsters?! Tell me you fucking bastard!"_ Zack grit his teeth, his shouts for Hojo to get away from Tifa increasing.

" _Correct, my pets are far more valuable when turned into those powerful, magnificent creatures…don't you agree?" the hot tears continued rolling down Tifa's cheeks as she tried to get away from the sick scientist as far as she could with her restraints._

 _Her burgundy, panicked eyes met those of Zack's terrified, electric blue ones as her terrified scream pierced the air, "ZACK!"_

* * *

Zack's blue eyes opened in alarm, he shot up in bed with a start, breathing heavily, his now bare torso sweaty as he flung his sweaty shirt away, his skin feeling clammy and cold. His heart was beating rapidly, his blood was rushing loudly in his ears, he needed a few seconds to refocus on reality.

Tifa was alright..she was sleeping in the other room, safe and sound, Marlene and Denzel were alright too. Cloud was alright, he could hold his own.

Zack heard Hojo's phantom voice, taunting him, " _Monster. Killer, killer, you killed them all. You enjoyed it, my subject. Killer…killer!"_

He looked down at his open hands, he blinked, seeing blood, he blinked again, it was gone. He shook his head, " _Have mercy!"_ Zack shook his head violently, willing the memories away.

He grit his teeth, tears forming in his mako blue eyes.

Were the iconic glowing eyes really the only trademark of SOLDIER?

Was killing a part of it too?

It had been his goal to _protect_ people, not kill them. In his time at SOLDIER, he had killed people, it was something every SOLDIER needed to go through.

 _Male, 26, killed by Zack Fair. Reason for killing target: unknown._

Zack gripped his head, trying to ban the thoughts away, those _memories_ …

 _Male, 45, killed by Zack Fair. Reason for killing target: killed a large division of SOLDIER._

 _Female, 33, killed by Zack Fair. Reason for killing target: assassination attempt at President Shinra._

 _Male, 23, killed by Zack Fair. Reason for killing target: causing a reactor to explode, killing a whole village._

 _Female, 22, killed by Zack Fair. Reason for killing target: unknown._

"No…" Zack grit his teeth, tears streaming down his face.

 _Female, 20, killed by Zack Fair. Reason for killing target: unknown._

 _Male, 48, killed by Zack Fair. Reason for killing target: unknown._

 _Male, 25, killed by Zack Fair. Reason for killing target: unknown._

"Please stop! Make them stop!" Zack half shouted, biting his pillow hard to not alert the others. He didn't want the memories to be back…the memories of him being a _monster_ , a _killer_.

He remembered their faces, each of their faces, but he never knew a name to those faces, rarely knew the reason why he needed to end their lives.

It was eating away at him, tearing at his emotions, tugging at his heart. He convulsed as if to vomit, but he held the bile that rose back, swallowing roughly.

He breathed deeply, panting like a dog, he tried to gather his bearings, he needed to be strong.

" _But I'm alone now…I can be like this…even for a little while"_ Zack shut his eyes tightly closed, the screams not stopping.

 _Killed by Zack Fair…_

 _Killed by Zack Fair…_

 _Killed by Zack Fair…_

 _Traitor…_

 _Zack!_

 _Zack, focus!_

 _You're a monster!_

 _SOLDIER is like a den of monsters, don't go inside._

 _Zack!_

 _Traitor!_

 _Fool!_

 _No, please don't-I-I have family!_

 _P-please, have mercy! Please! I'll pay Shinra just don't-_

 _Murderer! Monster! Scum!_

 _You don't deserve to live._

 _Scumbags like you don't deserve to see the light of the day_

 _Zack!_

 _Focus!_

 _Zack!_

 _ZACK!_

Zack's blue eyes blinked rapidly, until they finally focused on Tifa's panicked expression.

Tifa…she was here..alive, well..unharmed…

 _Killer_

Zack trembled, sobbing hard, choking on his own shaky breaths.

"Zack! What happened? Are you alright?" Tifa wiped away his tears, he was disorientated, frightened, he looked like he had seen a ghost.

 _Night terrors_

Tifa realized with a start.

"Zack…" she embraced him tightly, lightly kissing away his tears, running her hands through his hair, "Shhh….everything is alright, we are all alright…Zack…" Tifa held him tightly, feeling the tremors wracking through his body and into her own.

Zack, weakened from the emotional roller coaster he just experienced, wrapped his arms weakly around the woman holding him, comforting him.

"Tifa…Tifa…Tifa…" Zack whispered her name like a prayer, clutching her tightly, as if she were his only connection to reality now.

At this moment, Zack wasn't the hero, he wasn't the strong, formidable, nearly invincible SOLDIER First Class that escaped death by a hair's breath and defeated all and any threats.

At this moment, Zack was a broken man, a man scarred by war and death, a man who used to be classified as a SOLDIER, one of the elite, a man used to battle and blood, a man who had seen his fair share of blood and gore…

A man who just a man. Just a human.

 **…** **So…** WHAT DID YOU GUYS THINK!? **REVIEWS are VERY appreciated!** Thank you!


	38. Scars Left by War

**Finally!** Ugh…sorry everyone! I came home (finally) just yesterday (in Croatia) and I'm so very excited to be home! It's so wonderful, the lush, green forest, the garden, seeing my precious dog Lara again…oh those feels! (clears throat) Right…sorry…just can't resist her adorable eyes! *.* Well, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

 **ANSWER S TO REVIEWS:**

 **AkaiArashi1 : **Thank you so much! Hehe yeah, I wanted to try and create a unexpected twist…hope I pulled that through haha ^^ BTW: I'm really sorry for the late update! Most probably forgot about this story by the time I post this chapter ."

 **Astrid Midnight: ** Yeah I got that feeling too :3 Though I intend on writing a few lighter chapters so it's not "too" dark, I also have to listen to my readers and respect their wishes, I'll try to make a balance between lighter/humor filled chapters and more darker/serious ones. :D

 **Numinous-Aqua : **haha Thanks! (scratches neck) hehe I loved Crisis Core…etc. but I was somewhat disappointed why they didn't dedicate more time on developing Zack before his death, showing how he struggled with coping with everything mentally, after all, talking to a comatose Cloud, being alone and on the run for so long…there is bound to be tremendous trauma involved. I'll try to portray his trauma as best as I can, it's similar to PTSD, I think.

 **Selkis1701 : **Hey there! Thanks for the review! Ugh yeah, being under Seph's control and on top of that being around HOJO of all people…not to mention those grotesque experiments… I'll write another chapter, or possibly squeeze the details of the lab here. :D

 **Chrizh : **Hihi thanks buddy! Sorry if I forced you to read it lol, just wanted to hear your opinion on my story since a few of my readers find it half-decent lol. Hope I get to continue it, personally, it's one of my favorite stories I've written so far. J

 **NOTE : **I just wanted to say that the escape from Hojo's lab will be slightly different, for dramatic effect purposes :P I guess…you know I love to create some drama and anticipation hihi :3

 **Disclaimer: Like I mentioned many times before, I DON'T own anything but the plot and my OC's (like Aaron)! Square Enix owns all the characters from FF7, Crisis Core and AC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 38: Scars Left by War**

Zack was running, running as fast as he could with Cloud hanging limply from his shoulder. He _had_ to get away from them, away from…from that _hellhole!_

"Seize him!" Hojo's commanding voice only caused Zack to speed up his already dead sprint, dodging bullets, dogs and guards.

Zack's breathing was controlled but his muscles were burning from the strain, he didn't know for how long they had been stuck in those tubes, days, weeks, maybe even a few months but it couldn't have been too long. And yet, Zack felt as if he slept for years.

"What are you waiting for? Kill him! But leave the blonde alive!" Zack grit his teeth, his hold on Cloud tightening as he jumped on a oncoming duty car, jumping on its hood, roof and just barely managing to keep running forward, stumbling slightly from the added weight of Cloud over his shoulder.

"Come on buddy, wake up. I don't know if I can keep carrying you like this for long if they keep pursuing us!" Zack panted, looking for a split second at Cloud, who remained unconscious.

He cursed and continued running away, turning a sharp corner around the building and finding himself at a dead end.

" _God damn it! If they catch up…"_ Zack briefly peeked behind the corner, mentally calculating about fifty foot soldiers and a helicopter as well as Turks he never met before following along with Seconds and Thirds. Wait…Hojo's men were also there…from the scientist department.

" _Scientists following us? They must have something big planned for us if they are so adamant on capturing us again, damn it Hojo!"_ Zack carefully let Cloud lean against the wall, rolling his stiff shoulders and grabbing the Buster sword, swinging it around to get a feel for the hilt again after so long of not using it.

"Looks like I have no choice but to stay and fight them off huh Cloud?" Zack widened his stance and readied himself for battle, he didn't expect Cloud to respond in his unconscious state.

Little did Zack know, he would have these one sided conversations for far longer than he would have liked.

Zack panted heavily as he slowed to a stop in the dense forest, gently dropping Cloud on the soft grass as Zack himself dropped on the ground, dead tired from all the fighting and running.

Zack calculated that they had been running approximately well over three hours from Hojo and his men, Zack had to give it to them, they were persistent bastards. Not only that, now the Turks and SOLDIER were after them too.

Just what did they do wrong?

Zack refused to believe they were criminals on the run, but he couldn't remember anything before Hojo and the lab. He just remembered seeing a white figure just before he broke out of his mako tube and that was it.

Just what happened before they were captured?

Where were Angeal and the others? Why was Zack carrying Angeal's sword? Zack remembered making First Class, he remembered he wasn't very excited over the fact, but he had no idea why.

He always dreamed of making it to the top, so why hadn't he been happy back then?

Zack looked over at Cloud, he had disabled a First Class which had come a little too close to them for Zack's comfort. Zack did what he thought was right, he removed the mako soiled clothes from Cloud's body and replaced them with the First Class SOLDIER garb.

Zack rose an eyebrow, wait…

" _Cloud was wearing clothes of a infantryman before I dressed him…wait…I remember talking with Cloud about making it to SOLDIER…we were at that one inn….but where?"_ Zack shook his head, his thoughts a complete mess. He clutched his head and fell down to one knee, breathing deeply to calm his thoughts and make sense of his foggy memories.

 _A church…I had been in a church? Flowers?_

 _A girl?_

 _Wait…that's Aerith…that's right…she was my girlfriend…my first love…_

 _A black wing…_

 _No wait…two white wings…_

 _Hollander…_

 _Banora…_

 _Angeal's hometown…_

 _Genesis…rogue SOLDIER…_

 _The black wing…Genesis…_

 _Sephiroth…_

 _He had a black wing too…_

 _Wait…_

 _Sephiroth…he…went mad…destroyed something…_

 _He destroyed a village…_

 _Nibel…_

 _Nibel.._

 _Cloud…no…it was…_

 _Nibelheim…_

 _Mako reactor…_

 _Project G…Project Genesis…no…_

 _Project Gillian…_

 _Wait…_

 _Gillian…_

 _…_ _.Hewley?_

 _Angeal's mother?_

 _Wait…mother…Sephiroth's mother.._

 _Jenova…_

 _Jenova cells…_

 _Extraterrestrial being…_

 _Experiment…Sephiroth…test subject…_

 _Her son…Sephiroth…Jenova was his mother?_

 _Angeal? Where…where was he?_

 _Hollander…family?_

 _I fought him…_

 _I fought Angeal…_

 _He had wings…two white wings…_

 _He….turned into a monster…_

 _I defeated him…._

 _Angeal…_

 _Protect your honor, always._

 _You have my thanks, Zack._

"No…." Zack completely fell to his knees, clutching his head, his blue mako eyes wide and unfocused.

"Why…..why am I…these images…memories…my memories…I….killed Angeal?"

Zack placed the Buster sword on the ground, inspecting the large blade, the long, red hilt…Angeal's sword…his family's honor…

"Angeal….he gave it to me….he…told me to…protect…protect my honor…and dreams…" Zack blinked, tears kept falling down on the blade, rolling down its smooth surface until the earth underneath absorbed it.

"I remember….I remember it all now…" Zack furiously rubbed his eyes, looking at Cloud, "Cloud….you….you have mako addiction…Hojo captured us…I fought against Sephiroth, you finished him…Hojo must have captured us then…" Zack strapped the heavy sword to his back, crawling toward Cloud, inspecting his seemingly lifeless eyes.

"Cloud…" he brushed the blonde spikes away from his friend's face, "…Just what happened to us buddy hm?" Zack smiled a bitter smile, ruffling his younger friend's hair affectionately.

"Sephiroth…destroyed your home…Tifa's too…he killed your mother…I remember Tifa…she was at the reactor too…Sephiroth killed her father, she wanted revenge…but Sephiroth cut her down…she was afraid, she told me how she hated SOLDIER and Sephiroth and me…"

Zack fell flat on his back beside Cloud, looking up at the sky, "Cloud…am I a monster? A killer?" he waited, but he received no response.

"Heh…I shouldn't be so down huh? But…I can't help it…not really…I killed Angeal…my mentor…one of my closest friends…" Zack rubbed his eyes again, fighting back the stinging tears.

He closed his eyes, using a meditation technique Angeal taught him once. He breathed deeply, sorted out his thoughts, thinking of what he should do next, what _could_ he do…

He tried to estimate how much longer till sunrise, he needed to get some shut eye otherwise he wouldn't be able to fight off all their pursuers. He dispatched a good amount of SOLDIER, no doubt they would send more Seconds after them and maybe some Thirds and infantrymen… yeah infantrymen would do the dirty work…

Zack shook his head, Hojo said to leave Cloud alive…he ordered that he was killed but Cloud left to be alive…

Hojo needed Cloud for something but what?

Wait…

Zack opened his eyes, "Sephiroth…his cells…" of course, how could he be so stupid? Genesis had tried hunting down Cloud for his pure S cells…Hojo must have the same goal…

He had to get Cloud out of here, he needed to get someplace safe…he needed to get to Midgar…Aerith…that's right…she was waiting for him…she wrote him letters, many letters…88? Or was it 89? Her last letter?

Zack closed his eyes again, breathing deeply. Alright…he needed to get to Aerith at all costs, he needed to get Cloud treated, first he had to get them a ride.

Even thought Zack _was_ First Class, not even he would be able to carry Cloud, fight off soldiers and navigate constantly through the terrain. If he could get them a ride then they would arrive much faster to Midgar, Cloud would get cured and he could flee with Aerith and him…

To where? Where could they go where SOLDIER wouldn't find them?

Zack stood up, shaking his head, he would think that far ahead later. He needed to desperately sleep, it was already well over midnight if Zack guessed right.

He looked over at Cloud, his head resting on his chest, his glowing blue/green eyes empty, "Well, today was tough huh? Those bastards kept following us everywhere I swear! I couldn't even go and pee in peace without having a gun pointed at my…well you know. God that was so awkward…it's good that you didn't see that, I would have laughed if I hadn't been busy knocking the guy out and pulling my pants back up…" Zack chuckled, shaking his head

"I tell you, SOLDIER's starting to get creative…poor guy too…bet he will have quite the tale to tell his superiors when he returns…" Zack gently punched Cloud's still shoulder, watching how he moved once before becoming still again, Zack just smiled, ruffling his hair.

He looked up at the dark sky, a bitter smile on his face, "I'm not the depressed type but…my old man was right…about SOLDIER, I mean. Heh, if only I didn't have such a thick skull like my mom used to tell me all the time." He looked at Cloud

"I'm sorry about your mom Cloud…I'm sorry about everything…" Zack rested a hand over his eyes, "I…never thought it would come to this, I wanted to be a hero, not famous, not being chased by my own company for my head..I'm sorry I got you into all of this Cloud, I never wanted to…" Zack looked at Cloud, ruffling his hair affectionately, pulling their heads closer to one another sideways.

"We will make it Cloud, we will make it buddy," Zack nuzzled his head against Cloud's, sighing loudly and looking up at the sky.

He checked their surroundings one last time, scouting out ahead just in case, he set up a barrier which would alert him should someone attempt to deactivate it. Zack finally let himself settle down on the grass, thinking one last time about Aerith's smiling face, before he closed his eyes and succumbed to sleep.

Zack was already awake before the first sunrays surfaced over the horizon, making sure to carefully cover his tracks, to walk as silent as possible with the added cargo on him and to make note of the terrain.

They were back on the road, Zack had seen Nibelheim, but it wasn't the destroyed, burnt to ashes Nibelheim he saw.

Nibelheim was standing, as if nothing happened, but Zack knew better. He had talked with a few of the townsfolk and none of them knew anything, nobody knew who Sephiroth was or who Cloud Strife was or Tifa.

Zack wasn't a fool, he knew Shinra set this up, the villagers were actors. They rebuilt Nibelheim to a "T", their only mistake was of not building Cloud and Tifa's home. Zack had memorized Cloud's home from when he saw Cloud running inside it to greet his mother before Sephiroth went mad…he remembered Tifa's home when he escorted her there to make sure she was safe at night.

He had also met her father, a kind but stern and protective man he learned. It didn't escape Zack how the older man had eyed him critically, whether it was because he was SOLDIER or for escorting his younger daughter home, Zack didn't know.

* * *

Zack sighed, counting to three before he readjusted Cloud, carrying him piggy bag style since he could divide his weight better. The only drawback was, he had Buster strapped to Cloud's back since he couldn't carry Cloud over the sword.

He only prayed it wouldn't put too much strain on his comatose friend.

"Hey Cloud, you hungry? Don't worry, I'll fetch us some dinner soon. I just need to find some river or something so we can drink alright? You promise to eat too ok? Yesterday you didn't eat anything again, you know you have to eat to grow big and strong right?" Zack smiled, after getting accustomed to talking to Cloud like this over the past few weeks…maybe even months, he learned to treat it like a completely normal conversation.

He needed to talk to Cloud, it just may help his friend recover sooner. Zack had heard war stories of his fellow SOLDIERs, how they dragged their half dead friends back home, talking to them to ensure they were conscious and alright and to offer them support to make it through.

While Zack's case was different, Zack did his best to be there for Cloud, even in this state. He cut small pieces of the food he caught, nearly mashing it into pudding and fed it to Cloud, moving his jaw and massaging his throat to ensure he would swallow it, it was little but enough to keep his system going. He would pour water into Cloud's mouth and tilt his head back so he didn't choke on it.

Though since Cloud had been exposed to mako, and a large amount of it, he knew his body wouldn't accept food so readily so soon. Zack himself was able to go without food and water for longer than a normal person, the mako in his body accelerated his healing abilities, metabolism but also prevented him from suffering from basic illnesses. He naturally hadn't been often ill in his childhood, but thanks to the mako, he almost never got ill nowadays.

Days passed, days soon turned to nights, long nights where Zack was mostly awake, keeping guard over Cloud and ensuring no enemies were near. He would only sleep a few hours, enough to keep him fit.

Though Zack had made one mistake, he didn't account for Cissnei going for their hide as well.

She found them one night, when Zack briefly stopped to drink at a nearby river. He had forgotten that he visited that riverbank already, he never visited any areas twice but due to fatigue he had forgotten.

Zack didn't want to draw his sword, not on Cissnei, she was a friend, not his foe. He told her as much, she had waited and Zack thought she was waiting for backup to arrive.

But she had been gathering her thoughts, in the end, she let them go. Because Zack had been her friend and saved her in her time of need. Zack had thanked her with a smile and she promised not to tell the Turks or SOLDIER anything, Zack had waved her off, telling her to tell Tseng if she desired.

Cissnei only replied that Zack had more allies than he realized, before she disappeared behind some trees and into the night.

Zack was sure Tseng wouldn't betray him, while he was duty bound and practically married with his job, he wouldn't sell out a friend, of that Zack was sure.

And so, without many incidents aside from Zack's usual clashes with pursuers, he moved along, navigating his way in the general direction toward Midgar, with Cloud on his back.

The days were long and hard for Zack, sometimes he would need to make several stops from carrying Cloud and fighting off, mostly one handed, his enemies. It was hard and Zack was so _tired_.

Tired from all the fighting, tired from running away, tired from fighting for survival and for their freedom…

"Say Cloud, you tired too buddy huh? Probably not, you're enjoying a free ride here," Zack chuckled to himself, adjusting Cloud on his back carefully.

"You know, when we get back to Midgar, I promise everything will be alright, we will cure you and I'll introduce you to Aerith, I've been known to date a few girls back in my younger days, but she's something else. She annoys me sometimes but she has spunk and she is so gentle and kind. You'll like her, I'm sure of it," Zack continued walking, looking back every once and a while to make sure he didn't leave imprints on the ground.

Zack stopped and carefully looked at his surroundings, he frowned, carefully easing Cloud off his back and on the ground. He took his sword from Cloud's back and again scanned the trees around them.

"How about I stop pretending I didn't notice you following us and you stop trying to hide from me," Zack called out to the seemingly empty woods, waiting with his sword on his side.

Nothing happened for several long minutes, before he caught movement on his left flank, Zack turned to it and spotted him.

It was a rather nervous-looking Second Class SOLDIER, no doubt sent by Shinra to try and eliminate him and retrieve Cloud.

Zack stood tall in front of Cloud, his sword resting on his shoulder leisurely.

The Second lifted his sword shakily, trying hard to hide his nervousness.

Zack's expression softened, "You don't need to do this, I'll let you off the hook, just tell them you didn't find us or that we are dead," Zack was about to turn around, but it seemed like the SOLDIER wouldn't back down.

"N-no! I have orders and I intend to follow them!" the SOLDIER lifted his sword, narrowing his iconic blue eyes at Zack, "Fight me!"

Zack shook his head and imbedded Buster into the ground, "I won't." the Second released a battle cry and charged but Zack side stepped easily, making sure he was between the SOLDIER and Cloud at all times.

The Second charged again, this time, Zack grabbed his wrist, his sword arm, and with his open palm he slammed it against the hilt of the sword. Both SOLDIERs watched as the standard SOLDIER sword fell to the ground a few feet away.

Zack released the younger man and moved to get Buster, the Second roared at Zack's retreating form, "Fight me you coward! I've always looked up to you! I heard stories about you! How you climbed up the ranks, how you were the pupil of Angeal Hewley, how you fought alongside Genesis Rhapsodos and the great Sephiroth! Why did you betray SOLDIER? For what? Because you didn't become as famous as Sephiroth?!" he spat venomously

Zack stopped and turned around to regard the furious man, "You're still in your teens aren't you?" he suddenly asked, approaching the increasingly nervous SOLDIER.

"Y-yeah, what's it to you?" he snarled at him, flexing his sweaty hands

"A word of advice, choose to follow it or not, there is more to SOLDIER, to Shinra, than they let on. Don't let them fool you, I hope you don't find out the truth the hard way, because then you will be standing right here where I am now,"

"W-what's that supposed to mean?!"

"Angeal, Genesis and Sephiroth…they were all my idols when I was younger, everyone knew them and adored them. As I became a Second and eventually First Class, I realized what Shinra was really up to. They aren't the company they make you believe they are, Shinra made me flee. I was loyal to Shinra before, as you are now, but I realized the error in my ways," Zack paused, looking back at Cloud.

"That's my friend, Shinra is hunting him down where he is as innocent as he can be. He's about the same age as you, still so young…" he looked back at the SOLDIER, "Get away from Shinra, flee, go back home to your family. I went away from home in the hopes of becoming a hero but I'm being chased and trying to get killed by my own company instead."

"You mean…Shinra…they…they _forced_ mister Rhapsodos and everyone to defect? They aren't M.I.A.? You mean they…got _killed_? By _Shinra_? B-but…t-their own people..how could they.." Zack gripped the younger man's shoulders tightly

"Listen, what's your name?"

"J-James, sir,"

"Listen James, it's your choice if you want to trust me or not, but I don't want you to end up like Genesis and Angeal and…and me, alright? Go back to your family, don't keep them waiting like I did mine. If you have someone to protect and turn back to, then go. Work at your family's farm, help out your old man no matter how annoying it is, you may think you could have made it big in SOLDIER but…it's just not it,"

"My dad warned me about SOLDIER, about the dangers…why he didn't want to join them…why he tried convincing _me_ not to join them…" Zack shook his head and smiled at the teen, "Go," he nodded in encouragement, hefting Cloud over his back again.

"W-wait!" Zack turned around to look at James

"Yeah?"

"T-take this…at least to help a little…for your friend…" James fished out a healing materia, a rather weak one, but Zack nonetheless smiled and shook his head, pushing it back towards him,

"Thanks a lot but it will take more than healing materia to cure mako poisoning. Keep it, I hope you don't but you may need it," Zack smiled warmly

"A-alright…" he pocketed the materia again, "Good luck sir! I hope you will make it out ok," he smiled

"Call me Zack," Zack smiled and winked, wishing for the SOLDIER to see his smiling face again before he may die…

"Zack…thank you," James nodded, clasping Zack on the shoulder with a bit of a hesitation, Zack did the same and bid farewell to the SOLDIER, praying for his safe return and his safe journey to home.

"Alright Cloud, looks like it's just the two of us now again huh?" no response

"It's alright, James reminded me a bit of you, though I have to admit, he's a bit more aggressive than you," he teased lightly, smiling at Cloud's comatose face from the corner of his eyes.

Cloud's breathing reassured Zack, made him strengthen his resolve to continue fighting, to hope for a brighter future.

They could make it. He knew it, they could.

And then, he spotted a yellow truck on the side of the road.

Zack smiled.

He knew freedom was just out of his reach. He would get to see Aerith, beg her for forgiveness and escape somewhere safe with her and Cloud.

* * *

Tifa bit her lip, listening intently to Zack retelling all the events and his time running away from Shinra with Cloud.

"…What happened next?"

Zack smiled bitterly, the images flooding his mind as he opened his mouth to tell her the final time he thought he would lift his sword in order to protect his friend and fight for their freedom.

 **Done! I'm SO sorry for waiting so long! .** Forgive me everyone! I had such a severe case of writers block for FF7 suddenly I have no idea why ugh…I really hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I promise the next one won't be so long due!


	39. The Story that was left Unsaid

**Ok…I guess these random moments of writer's block randomly come in… I was in such a FMA (Fullmetal Alchemist) mood lately that I (unfortunately) neglected my other stories .**

 **Well, enjoy reading this chapter and tell me what you think!**

* * *

 **Chapter 39: The Story That was left Unsaid**

 _Cloud's breathing reassured Zack, made him strengthen his resolve to continue fighting, to hope for a brighter future._

 _They could make it. He knew it, they could._

 _And then, he spotted a yellow truck on the side of the road._

 _Zack smiled._

 _He knew freedom was just out of his reach. He would get to see Aerith, beg her for forgiveness and escape somewhere safe with her and Cloud._

Zack couldn't believe it, he saw a yellow truck, the driver having stopped to switch out a tire. The SOLDIER didn't waste any time, running as fast as he could toward the man.

"Hey!" he called out to him, not being able to stop the relived grin from spreading on his face like a ray of sunshine. He was sure of it now, everything would be alright.

The truck driver squinted his eyes from the sun, trying to get a clear view of the young man running towards him. He stood up from his kneeling position, throwing away the useless tire.

"From where did you boys come from?" he blinked, looking behind Zack at the dense forest, "Hey, is your friend alright?" the man rose an eyebrow, not ignoring the fact that Zack was covered in bruises, as well as looking out of breath and just smelling of SOLDIER all over him.

He felt apprehensive, on edge. He usually avoided anything that looked like SOLDIER, since they were bad news to the common folk most of the time, he had had a few run-ins with them in the past and they never ended well. He knew to first ask questions, then be the nice guy.

Zack regained his breath, straightening up and holding onto Cloud, "Listen pops, do you mind if we catch a ride? My friend is not feeling so well," Zack pointedly kept quiet about the mako poisoning, if he mentioned any of it to the driver their chances of actually tagging along were slim. Very slim.

The driver eyed Cloud suspiciously, worry hitting him at the young boy's unconsciousness as well as the incredibly large broadsword on his back, that thing looked dangerous, as if it was born just to kill.

"Where to?" he asked against his better judgment, he knew he would regret this as soon as he uttered that question.

"Midgar," Zack answered, surprised the man actually asked and looked like he was considering Zack's request.

The man scanned Zack from head to toe again, he reeked of SOLDIER alright and a strong one at that. He was tempted to ask why they needed a ride, but chose not to.

"Alright, hop on, I'm heading for Midgar anyway. Let me ask this – are you and your friend in trouble?" he fixed Zack with a probing gaze.

Zack knew telling the truth was the worst decision to make but he hated to lie to people, especially strangers which considered helping him escape, not knowing who he was even if he was a guy carrying a unconscious boy on his back with a sword larger than himself.

"We are running away from some bad men. They injured my friend here and I've been escaping ever since,"

The man regarded him for a few moments longer, Zack suddenly felt nervous, he couldn't waste any time, he couldn't risk being spotted or his enemies catching up to them.

The man nodded, "Alright, hop on the back. Does your friend need bandages? I've got a first aid kit in the compartment," he pointed to the passenger seat.

"No, thanks, he can't be healed with normal medical equipment." Zack paused, considering the man's expression carefully.

The driver crossed his arms, "You're SOLDIER aren't you? Tell me boy, are you against or with Shinra?" he fixed him with a unreadable expression, seizing him up.

"I'm running away from them, I used to be in SOLDIER." Zack explained, readjusting Cloud, "That's all you need to know," Zack's expression softened, almost pleading, "Please,"

"Aaron," the man extended a hand toward the younger man, smiling ever so slightly, "You've got that sunshine aura about you, something trustworthy in those eyes, not something I usually associate with one of SOLDIER's boys,"

With one hand Zack supported Cloud's frame and with the other he shook Aaron's hand firmly, "Zack," he nodded, "I take it you had run-ins with SOLDIER before?"

"You could say that. If you used to be with them, then you know they don't let their faces show in the slums or to the common folk. Those who try to earn a livin' are treated like shit," Aaron's gaze hardened, "I'm glad a youngster such as you saw through em' and decided to leave, makes the world a better place,"

"I know, but I'm still working on the 'making the world a better place' thing," Zack shrugged and Aaron helped him slide Cloud down his back and into the truck on the back.

"Here," Aaron offered him a bottle of water and Zack gratefully took it with a nod, emptying its contents immediately.

Aaron's eyebrows arched slightly, "Hm, looks like you've been on the run for a damn long time huh?" Zack shrugged, climbing on the back of the yellow truck as Aaron went to the driver's seat and started driving.

"Say boy, what are ya searching in Midgar anyway? Shinra's strong there too," Aaron's voice was clear above the sounds of the truck as it rocked a little through the rocky terrain.

Zack positioned Cloud against the corner of the truck so he could keep a good eye on him, he himself leaned against the window of the truck, his back to the passenger seat as he spoke, "Yeah, I know, just going there to do something," he didn't want to reveal too much, as much as he was immensely grateful that this kind man, Aaron, decided to help him, he couldn't risk the possibility of getting spotted if Shinra, by chance, found him and tortured him for answers.

There never were any official documents concerning torture methods on spies or enemies Shinra captured, but Zack trusted them to do anything. A prime example was Hojo's insane experiments.

"Hey pops, got any business in Midgar?" better to talk, Zack needed to talk, desperately. His only conversation brother for the past weeks, months, was Cloud, who was unresponsive in a comatose state.

Maybe he was rusting in the conversation department.

"I run my own shop, I work as a mechanic. Work's honest and pays well enough, if it pays enough for me to buy my parts and get's food on the table who am I to complain?" Zack had to agree.

"Hm, I see, I wanna open up my own business," he looked at Cloud's still form, "Yeah, I wanna up my own business, definitely."

"You've got skills most people don't kid, use them to your advantage," Aaron prodded

Zack's eyes brightened as an idea formed in his mind, "Aha! That's it! I'll open up a business that does everything!" Zack vaguely thought that he heard a slap, probably Aaron slapping his forehead or something along those lines.

"That's not what I meant boy…" Aaron droned, exasperated with the youth.

Zack ignored him, turning to Cloud," Yup, that's right. I've got skills no one else has, I was a former SOLDIER, that's a big bonus. I could work as a mercenary, travel all over the place, get paid to slay monsters or the bad guys." Zack crossed his arms behind his head, "Say Cloud, what will you do once we get to Midgar?"

No response. Zack hadn't expected any.

He suddenly started to laugh and Aaron briefly thought if he went insane from his escape and time spent in the forest, sometimes he was just too kind for his own good, damn it.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Don't look at me like that buddy! Of course you will come with me! Once we get that mako in control, we will open up a business together, one that does everything and anything. Maybe a delivery business?" Zack rubbed his chin in thought, "So many possibilities, huh pal?"

Zack sighed, stretching, feeling his aching muscles as they screamed in protest to finally rest. But Zack had to keep a cool head, they were not out of the danger zone yet, it could be dangerous to both of them if he wasn't careful and paying attention.

But he couldn't help but think of Midgar, of Aerith, of curing Cloud and getting the hell away from Shinra. Of all those things. Becoming a mercenary, maybe opening up a delivery business, helping those that need help and doing things for a good cause.

Yeah…that sounded nice. Zack smiled, looking at Cloud with a fond look, "Everything's gonna be ok pal, we are almost there, closer to our dreams," Zack paused and chuckled, "Closer to freedom,"

With one last look at Cloud, Zack sighed and maneuvered himself upright, leaning his forearms against the roof of the truck.

He took a moment to relish the peace around him, the wind caressing his face, the sight of Midgar in the distance as it grew bigger the closer they got to it. He closed his eyes, a smile forming on his lips, Zack felt, for the first time in months, at peace.

He was looking forward to seeing Aerith again, to leave Shinra behind him, a dark chapter of his past but necessary to shape him into the man he would one day be. That much, he knew. He was also looking forward to opening up that business with Cloud, having to answer to no one but themselves.

The dream may be slightly farfetched but in his younger days he had been often called a dreamer and a boy with big dreams and low chances. Now Zack matured, he grew, he experienced things he supposed not many his age would, he learned from his mistakes and wanted to improve and make sure they didn't happen again.

He breathed in the clean, crisp air, the peaceful silence around him calming his mind and body, he felt lighter, younger, more fit and happy. He hoped the feeling would last at least for a little while.

Zack had thought everything was alright, as his were closed in bliss, feeling the wind caressing his skin, the sun shining on his face.

Then he heard a gunshot.

The peace was over.

He knew it would be difficult as he quickly spotted the sniper and threw himself over Cloud, barking out orders to Aaron to leave them by the rocks as he covered Cloud protectively.

But…he never thought it would end like it did that day.

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed this! Any critics and opinions are welcomed! Thanks for reading! :D**


	40. His Final Stand

**Hi guys...** oh god it's been far too long! . (hides face) Very, very long, far too long! Well, what can I say...I just wasn't in the mood for FF7 writing and I didn't want to take the chance for the chapter to be crappy, so I updated a few other stories and decided to wait up until I'm in the mood for "decent" writing ^^ I owe you guys a big thanks for sticking with me so far! :)

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Makona-chi:** Hi there! :) Thank you so much, you have no idea how that boosts my spirit to continue writing (hopefully update a lot sooner :P) ^^ Yeah, I wasn't a Zifa fan at the beginning either (Cloti is still one of my fav though) but somehow...meh, I don't know, I imagined what would have happened if Cloud wasn't there or a total jerk, somehow if they had had more interactions (Tifa and Zack) maybe it could have worked out, I don't know ^^. Well, thanks for reviewing and I hope you liked this chapter too! :3

 **Strike Faster than Starlight:** Thanks a lot! Well, tbh, I wasn't a Zifa shipper at all at the beginning but somehow I imagined what would happen if Cloud were a complete jackass or simply not there lol :P Thank you for the compliments, though I'm disappointed to admit I lost a bit of inspiration (I'm waiting for three exam results...so yeah, a bit stressful XD). Cloud and Lightning huh? Well, quite a few sent me a PM and asked me the same ^^ I'm not really sure, if there is enough interest in the idea, then I would be willing to give it a try! :)

 **6Ball:** Thank you so much! ^^ Personally, I think there are pretty many aspects of writing I still need to heavily improve but I'm willing to work for it, that I promise you! ;) And I'm sorry for the delay, school has been pretty stressful! .

 **Info on chapter:** Well, after so long, this one could be filled with blood and gore, since this WILL be a bloody battle Zack is about to engage thousands of soldiers.

 **Happy reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 40: His Final Stand**

 _Zack had thought everything was alright, as his eyes were closed in bliss, feeling the wind caressing his skin, the sun shining on his face._

 _Then he heard a gunshot._

 _The peace was over._

 _He knew it would be difficult as he quickly spotted the sniper and threw himself over Cloud, barking out orders to Aaron to leave them by the rocks as he covered Cloud protectively._

 _But…he never thought it would end like it did that day._

"Pops! Park us over by the rocks!" Zack shouted, closing his eyes and tensing his muscles as he practically felt how every stray bullet of the sniper flew past his body and hit the metal of the truck, dents and harsh cuts left as a reminder of a dangerous encounter Aaron was sure to remember.

Aaron sharply turned the vehicle from the road, heading for a pile of high rocks to his right, the ride was bumpy and unsteady, but it only made it more difficult for the sniper to get a clear shot, wherever he may be stationed at.

Once the truck came to a standstill, Zack quickly grabbed Cloud and hefted him over his shoulder, propelling them off the truck quickly.

Aaron worriedly leaned out of the side window, "Hey! What in the world are you doing boy?! Get in the truck! I'll drive ya to Midgar like I said! I ain't got any problems shaking off a Shinra grunt!" kind brown eyes were filled with worry and anger, anger at Shinra for pursuing one of their own men and worry for the two young boys that had just left the safety of his truck, the opportunity to go home.

Zack turned to the man that had been kind enough to help them, at least the little way they managed to go before Shinra found them. Zack shook his head and smiled, lifting a hand to rest on the hilt of his sword, "Thanks for your help pops, but don't worry I don't have a sword on my back if I can't take care of a few grunts myself,"

But as Zack said those words, somewhere in the back of his mind, there was another voice, which sounded suspiciously like his own, telling him, " _You know you will die today, Shinra sent their whole battalion after you. You may be able to lie to him, but you can't lie to yourself,"_ Zack swallowed, his throat dry.

Aaron looked ready to argue but Zack set one foot forward and growled firmly, " _Go!_ " he snarled, mako blue eyes ablaze with newfound anger and determination.

Aaron shook his head sadly, feeling guilt and sadness overwhelm him, he may be nothing more than a engineer but even he realized that there weren't just "a few" Shinra grunts after them. He didn't fail to notice the look of urgency in Zack's eyes before he tried masking his concern with a façade of anger.

He knew the boy wouldn't be able to survive this, SOLDIER or not.

"Alright..." Aaron said slowly, large hands heavily resting on the steering wheel, "Promise me something boy?"

Zack nodded slowly, Aaron smiled kindly, "Don't go down without killin' at least half of those bastards," recognition dawned in Zack's eyes, he understood Aaron knew his chances were slim in surviving this battle.

"Yeah, that I can promise you pops," Zack smiled a small smile and nodded, "Now go," he slapped the side of the truck twice, dust gathered as around Zack's feet as Aaron waved once and sounded the car horn, before the truck became smaller and smaller the greater the distance became.

Zack clenched his gloved fists tightly, eyes narrowing when he spotted small dark figures darting swiftly across the terrain. Soldiers. Lots of them.

Zack moved quickly, going into a crouch, he laid low, chest almost touching the ground as he moved Cloud carefully over his back and crawled across the rocky surface, small sharp, protruding stones slightly scratching at Zack's hands as he navigated through the rocks and made sure to lay low, not giving any snipers the opportunity to get any clear view of them.

Zack quickened his pace, stubbornly ignoring the pulsing pain in his hands and knees as he quickly crawled toward a very large boulder which towered over most of the others, there was a smaller one next to it, creating exactly what Zack was searching for right now; cover from all sides.

Zack carefully rolled Cloud off his back, back lightly landing on the ground as Zack slowly, carefully straightened himself into a kneeling position in front of Cloud, grabbing him and moving him so he was leaning against the boulder. Zack smiled, it provided nice cover for Cloud to remain unseen by Shinra.

So far so good.

The SOLDIER tensed in alarm when he heard the crunching of boots against small rocks, guns being loaded and the occasional sound of helicopters in the distance.

Damn, he had to hand it to Shinra. When they were hunting down people they needed dead, they were pretty willing to waste a pretty penny to ensure they were dead for good.

Zack craned his neck, rubbed at a sore spot between his collar bone and throat slowly, easing the tense knot of muscle to slowly relax and stop hurting. He flexed his legs out, stretched his arms back and rolled his stiff shoulders back.

This was it.

The black haired young man turned to look at his best friend and grinned, he ruffled his blonde messy spikes and briefly wondered how on earth they managed to stay so spiky through all the rain they walked through the past few months.

He shook his head, that didn't matter anymore. What mattered was that Cloud was safe or at least had high chances to be should Zack go down and actually leave someone from Shinra alive.

A lethal look grew in his mako blue eyes, intense hatred brewed deep within him, making his blood boil and his skin to heat up, he locked his jaw tight, drawing a ragged breath to calm himself down.

It was no use getting too worked up before he even delivered the first slash. He looked down at his comatose friend again and smiled fondly.

Almost brotherly, he ruffled his hair again one last time and stood, standing there for a moment to burn the image of Cloud into his mind before he turned his back on him and started walking ahead.

" _Goodbye Cloud...this is all I can do now, I just hope that once I'm gone, none of them will be left to hurt you,"_ Zack thought worriedly as his boots hit the ground steadily, willing himself to think positive in a hopeless situation, " _Think positive Fair! Come on! There are many out there, but you didn't work your butt off for nothing all these years! Bet not even half of them can do as many squats as I can!"_ he allowed himself a small chuckle, before turning serious once more the closer he got to the clearing, his future battlefield.

* * *

He walked past boulders, slowly peeking over one to get a view of the situation.

His eyes narrowed and he bit his lip.

They were here alright, pretty many of them. _A lot of them._

Zack's quick estimation of his opponents got him to about two thousand, but he deduced not all troops were here, he could make out two approaching helicopters in the distance, each of them could carry about twenty men, depending on if they were cargo helicopters or not. Cargo choppers had lighter armor than the heavily armored combat choppers but they had much more room, managing to store up to forty-five till fifty soldiers, give or take six.

He took a deep breath and thought. They would be smart to use cargos, since he couldn't deal any damage from the ground and they were constantly airborne, they didn't need any armor for protection and they could transport more soldiers that way. Good for them, bad for him.

" _I have to stop thinking of ways to make things worse for me,"_ he thought with a slight frown and a shake of his head, his gaze sweeping over new coming infantrymen. And suddenly, there were well over three thousand soldiers standing before him; rifles, swords or bazookas in hand, all pointed at him.

Zack sighed and shook his head, "Boy oh boy, the price of freedom is steep," he gave a wry smile, flashbacks of the past few months swimming in his mind.

How they escaped the lab, how Zack carried Cloud on his back and fought off their enemies, how he met the Second James and sent him back home because he saw a bit of himself and a lot of innocent Cloud in him, he thought of the kind truck driver Aaron, who had a kind enough heart to help two complete shady looking strangers, that smelled of SOLDIER no less, into safety...

Angeal, Genesis, Sephiroth...three men that, in his younger days, he used to look up to, those figures had been great idols and hero's to him in his childhood. Angeal, even by the time of his death, while their relationship had been strained at one point, he never stopped respecting and loving the man he came to know as a father away from home. Genesis, how the poetic First Class was a man of many words and many skilled sword moves, his temperament the equivalent to that of a raging phoenix, ready to spread its wings and face any and all opponents that dared cross their path.

Lastly Sephiroth...he had been a misunderstood man, a mentor and at one point the enemy... his heart tightened. Genesis and Angeal may have met their end, but he just hoped Sephiroth wouldn't continue to go down the path of evil and eventually come to his senses again.

He thought of Aerith, of her nice smelling hair, her precious flowers, how her eyes sparkled whenever she saw him, how she giggled and laughed when he would crack a lame joke from time to time. Just...the thought of _her_.

Slowly, well-aware that thousands pairs of eyes watched his every move like a hawk and trained to shoot should he make erratic movements, Zack wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his sword tightly. Slowly, deliberately, he removed the Buster sword from his back, bringing it in a wide arc to his front, the flat blade positioned so it hid his face from his wide line of enemies.

Zack did something he hadn't done in a long time; he took a deep breath and thought of his life until now.

The hardest decision he had to make in his young life had been to leave home and abandon his parents, with nothing but a letter standing his intentions and a goodbye to his parents. No explanations, no details, nothing. Short and simple. Zack knew, if he had continued to write that letter any longer he would have changed his mind about going away from home and the dream of joining SOLDIER.

But he didn't.

When his parents had slept that night, he kissed them each on the forehead and out the door he was. With nothing but a backpack filled with some food, a blanket for cool nights, some spare clothes and two small hunting knives and the clothes on his back. He remembered how he had felt, as a young boy, looking at his beloved village that was Gongaga, knowing he wouldn't see it for a long, long time.

Or in his case, never again.

He remembered the long and difficult journey to Midgar, to SOLDIER, being accepted into the program. He remembered how many SOLDIERs there made fun of him, for being "some poor sod from a backwater village" that had no chance to race up the ranks like other men who lived in wealthier conditions. He remembered how he vehemently tried to keep a bright smile and a positive aspect on life, but at times when he would be alone in his room, he would weep like a child. Cry for missing his parents, the life he led in Gongaga, the strangeness of SOLDIER and its people, the difficult program itself and the missions he had to take.

He remembered it all.

Then he remembered meeting Angeal and the others, immediately taking a liking to Angeal since he learned the older man had grown up in similar circumstances as Zack himself, being from Banora, living with his mother in poverty, coming to SOLDIER to hope for something better...

Angeal had been the main inspiration for Zack to keep going, knowing that somebody from a "backwater village" could have made it so big in SOLDIER to become a legendary First Class, then Zack could make it too. Anyone could with the right ambition and amount of will.

Then there was Genesis, who taught him that not everything could be solved through brute strength and battle skill alone. There were times for war and times for words. Zack had learned to try a diplomatic approach first, calmly trying to win the situation in his favor before having to resolve to his sword.

Sephiroth, who, while intimidating and distant at first, proved to be a good teacher to Zack in sword play and giving wise advice. The age old sayings about the three rang true to Zack; Angeal had been the heart of SOLDIER, Genesis SOLDIERs fiery determination and will to fight, Sephiroth SOLDIERs brute strength and wit.

" _They were all heroes in the end...one way or another I guess..."_ Zack thought, taking a deep breath.

"Embrace your dreams and whatever happens, protect your honor..." the words came clear out of his mouth, a prayer of hope in this hopeless situation.

He brought the sword sideways, opening mako blue eyes to glare daggers at his enemies as he moved to attack, "...as SOLDIER!"

Zack snarled, the fire in his eyes burning as bright as ever, " _Come and get it!_ " his blade rang with the sound of hope that burned fiercely in his heart.

* * *

Many would call him naïve, some would call him insane, others would call him a dreamer... but he called himself a optimist, because in the end, if you stripped away the title and everything else, there _is_ nothing left but hope and your own optimism that keeps you alive.

As Zack started cutting through the array of infantrymen barging into him and his blade, he smirked, " _Even if it seems hopeless, I still won't give up,"_ with a mighty battle cry that might have as well shook the ground beneath his feet, he jumped into the air to deliver a powerful, downward slash with Buster, cutting down at least six infantryman in a straight line.

One bullet got deflected by his shoulder plates and Zack whipped his head around in time to duck an incoming bullet, before jumping back to propel himself off his hands and somersaulting in the air, landing on the head of a random infantryman and lastly on his own two feet, charging in once he regained his balance.

Despite himself, Zack chuckled quietly when he noticed two infantrymen sneaking behind him, hiding behind a wave of soldiers that parried his sword slashes. Did they really think they could beat him by sneaking around? He wasn't First Class for nothing.

His eyes widened in surprise when he heard a distant shout and soon he found out why; the damn missiles.

If _only_ he were right for _once_ in his life!

The bastards _didn't_ just send for cargo choppers, they sent out the big boys too! Equipped with large missiles and machine guns on their sides, Zack quickly started running once they started opening rapid fire on him. To him, it seemed like a maze, not knowing where they would shoot, running in a zigzag pattern, alternating between circles, straight runs and random, sudden angle changes.

Confusing them worked, at least at the beginning, until combat chopper number _two_ showed it's ugly face.

Zack cursed, this time using his sword to deflect some of the bullets while simultaneously fighting off approaching soldiers after his hide.

Zack's eyes narrowed in pain and irritation when a bullet imbedded itself into his right arm, he bit his lip and continued running, not even thinking of faltering for a second.

For each bullet he gained, he cut down at least three more infantrymen. And so on it went.

One horizontal slash from his enemy, a well timed dive from Zack and a flick of his sword arm, the enemy's midsection was nearly cut in two in the next minute. As Zack straightened from his crouch, he briefly cried out when some idiot cut his thigh with his sharp blade. Zack slammed his elbow against the poor fool and kicked him away, deflecting oncoming bullets from the choppers.

Time to analyze his injuries so far; he suspected he had a busted rib, since it hurt to breath and the spot felt sore, his thigh was cut, but not too deep, he had...five or six bullet wounds, a handful of burns from escaping missiles by a hair's breath and two sword slashes to his arm and back.

Zack grit his teeth, gaining more aggression and anger when he saw a small group of the bastards getting too close to Cloud's hiding spot, Zack swung Buster like a boomerang, the mighty sword flew through the air, impaling four infantrymen through the abdomen and killing them almost instantly. The First Class punched another one's jaw, hearing the sickening crack of bone, he kicked another one in the chest, sending him flying into a charging group.

Zack growled aloud when he felt a bullet tearing past the flesh of his stomach, cutting the skin but not penetrating his body. He gripped the bleeding wound, making a head start for his sword, he quickly fished for a healing materia in his pocket, which cost him another bullet to his forearm for that careless act.

He jumped into the air, using the materia to heal the most basic injuries until the searing pain turned into a low burn. With a grunt, he landed on his feet and pulled his sword off the now dead bodies of what he once considered comrades.

Zack thought quick, heading for the soldiers stationed farther away on protruding rocks, he had to finish those off first; the snipers.

If he finished the sharpshooters off he wouldn't have to worry about looking in their direction too often while dealing with missiles and the footmen.

The country boy grinned as he gained momentum by using his legs to propel himself from one rock to another, punching a close soldier away and wrapping his legs around another one's neck, slamming him to the ground. The resulting crack signaled Zack just broke the man's neck. Good. One down, a thousand more to go.

Zack had no idea how much time passed since this whole fight began but he was sure well over an hour must have passed, the sun wasn't in the same position any longer and it seemed to him like there weren't _that_ many soldiers here.

Maybe it was the bleeding injury on his abdomen which made him think like that, at the moment, he didn't know. Dark red liquid covered the once light brown, almost yellow-like sand, sounds of battle cries and metal hitting metal filling the air as rain started slowly beating down on the fighting soldiers.

Just as he charged head on, Zack slipped on the building mud beneath his boots, briefly thanking his returning clumsiness for he avoided two sword thrusts from the back. He swung Buster forward over his head, knocking the two swords out of the infantrymen's hands as he slammed the hilt back against them.

He quickly rolled away before another sword or bullet hit him, Zack's eyes widened when he felt a indescribable pain race up his spine and head.

Through his exhausted and pained state, he tried to feel from _where_ that pain was coming now.

When he looked down, it was all the answer he needed.

A thin line of blood, _his_ blood trickled down the side of his mouth and Zack suddenly felt much worse than he did a few seconds ago. The sword that was impaled through his abdomen and leather belt glinted harshly, dark red liquid slowly sliding down the slightly upward tilted shaft to slowly drip down and soak into his boots and the earth beneath.

He inhaled sharply, his body automatically heating up and tensing in alarm at the now more threatening injury he sustained but Zack willed himself to calm down, if he didn't, his blood flow would accelerate and he needed anything _but_ that. He didn't need to lose more blood than he already did.

His head was spinning, his muscles slowly going slack, his head was pounding, spinning, his mind's a jumbled mess, foggy thoughts invading his mind as he tried making sense of the world again. His fingers twitched but he didn't feel them anymore, he felt searing burns everywhere, as if he were being burned alive.

An image of Sephiroth, the Sephiroth that had plunged into madness prior to discovering his true heritage, appeared in his mind, surrounded by flames, just like that fateful night in Nibelheim that was still so fresh, like a newly acquired scar that still burned. Zack opened his eyes, slowly gaining consciousness of the world around him again.

He hissed when the soldier behind him holding the sword plunged it in deeper and suddenly he realized how surrounded he was, by enemy troops no less, well damn.

"Give it up Fair! You're as good as dead already, you didn't even beat half of us and you're already bleeding from all sides," one Second Class SOLDIER said, chuckling darkly as he cocked his rifle, ready to deal the finish blow.

"Hey wait a minute! Why the hell do you get to shoot him?! Hojo said whoever killed him would get a reward! Move it jackass!" another Second harshly shoved the first one away, grinning devilishly at Zack, a murderous thirst in his eyes that would have caused a normal man to shake with fear.

"Hey!" Zack realized his chance the minute a small group of them started fighting over who would kill him first. A small smirk grew on his face, he took a deep, calming breath and braced himself for what he was about to do. Tightening his grip on his sword again, Zack quickly shoved his foot as hard as he could against the soldier standing behind him.

The soldier lost his balance and thankfully his tight grip on his sword remained, for the blade slid out of Zack's midsection in a sickening squashing sound. Quickly, Zack used his last materia to at least heal the internal bleeding. With great effort, Zack swung his sword in large, rapid circles, slicing any and all nearby men in half.

His wound didn't close completely but at least he wasn't losing so much blood.

Zack stood tall in front of the group of stunned soldiers his sword missed, almost grinning as his sword dripped with the blood of his former comrades, "If you think a few stab wounds here and there will finish me off, think again. I won't stop until I finish off every last one of you!" Zack raised the blade high over his head, performing his well practiced move Chain Slash in rapid succession.

He grunted when he felt another bullet embedded itself in his bicep, he narrowed his eyes and charged forward, slamming his sword, fists and elbows against anyone that came too close.

And so the battle continued, fighting with everything he had and then some. He was sure he used up about all reserves his body ever saved up for emergencies but nonetheless he only stood still when he thought he killed all of them.

He seriously hated never being right.

There were three more of them, three more infantrymen, all equipped with rifles, long range, great.

Buster's tip was resting heavily on the earth, small droplets of rain falling down and turning the earth soft and muddy, when he looked at each of the infantrymen, how they slightly waved their guns in a pathetic attempt to intimidate him.

Zack snarled, finding his last ounces of strength from deep within, all his hatred and bitterness toward Shinra and what they did to Cloud and everyone else resurfacing full force.

"Narrrgh!" Zack cried out, swinging his sword to attempt to strike one of them, he cried out when three bullets hit his abdomen, more blood oozed out of the new exit wounds. His moves became erratic, uncontrolled, wild.

All his instincts were screaming at him to rest, to _finally_ sheath his heavy ass sword and _breathe_ but he stubbornly refused to listen, he took deep, ragged breaths in his beaten and battered body, trying hard to resist the temptation to close his eyes and sleep.

He knew, if he did close his eyes and sleep now, he would never wake up again. And he didn't want to go down with three leering bastards in his face.

" _Zack!"_

Zack nearly froze, almost hitting a infantryman if it weren't for a bullet hitting his shin, " _Damn it! What the-? Was that?"_

 _"_ _Zack!"_

Zack's eyes widened, did he hear...no...it couldn't be...

For a split second, he thought he may have heard Aerith calling him, but that was impossible...

" _I'm Cissnei, nice to meet you!"_

 _"_ _Tseng, the head of the Turks. And you are?"_

Zack's eyes widened and he felt dizzy again, " _Wait...Cissnei? Tseng? What the-? Where...?"_ mako blue eyes became unfocused, the three infantrymen seized him up, circling him, but all he saw was a blur of blue and black.

" _Use brings about wear, tear and rust and that's a real waste,"_

" _Angeal!_ " Zack's heart tightened painfully and he took a sharp intake of air, his lungs screamed at him, burned, everything burned so much.

" _I'm a country boy too!"_

" _Cloud!"_ Zack allowed a small, pained smile to grow on his bloody face.

" _Honor can be quite a burden at times,"_

 _"_ _Heh, you got that right Angeal,"_ Zack wasn't sure if he was going into delirium from the blood loss or if he was telepathically talking to his friends, he had no idea.

" _Hellooo!"_

Zack smiled, a eerie calm setting on his entire being as he instantly recognized that sweet voice he had the privilege of getting to know the owner of. Her forest green eyes, her kind smile, her quick wit and he radiating aura...

" _Aerith..."_

Zack slowly focused again on the battle at hand, to his growing horror he heard more than saw the chopper, which was far too close to his comfort.

Shit.

 _Another_ one?! Didn't he _destroy_ four of them? Just how many did they send to kill _one man_?!

Zack panted heavily, blinking rapidly to focus, to fight, move, _anything_ , but he couldn't.

Zack charged, with shaky legs and numb hands, he charged forward, letting out what he knew was his final battle cry as he managed to deeply cut one of them on the shoulder, another at his leg clumsily.

Then he felt it.

The pain.

Thousands of bullets hit him at once, he could feel each cold, harsh piece of metal entering his body and breaking something inside of him, he didn't know if it was bone, organs or something else. He didn't know what _wasn't_ destroyed within him.

"Aaarghh!" Zack cried out, vision growing dark with each passing second as he desperately tried to clutch at his side to stop the tremendous bleeding but his numb fingers felt nothing, they felt protruding ridges, warm, sticky liquid running in between his fingers...

His head spun again and he felt nauseas to his core.

His ears were ringing so he didn't hear the footman that approached him, he wore that damn helmet as he positioned his rifle high to pinpoint it at Zack's already bleeding head.

He grit his teeth, he didn't even know who would kill him, no...he knew who killed him, it was Shinra, it didn't matter the person, what mattered was they all answered to one and that was Shinra.

Nevertheless, out of natural instincts, Zack tried to grab for his sword, but the rifle went off before he could even move at all.

* * *

He didn't feel anything much, aside from the burning and a intense pressure on his head.

He felt cold but his body was burning, he was cold but burning and he didn't understand the world any more.

Was Cloud alright? Did they find him? No...he would have seen it...he hid him good...there was no way they would find him...Cloud...he would be alright without him...he was a good boy...

Aerith...Zack felt more pain in his heart than anywhere else. His only regret in life was leaving Aerith behind, without any letters, phone calls, nothing. He had been gone for 4 years, trapped in a lab like a rat and she had no knowledge of any of this.

Well...at least Cloud would tell her everything once he recovered from his mako poisoning.

 _Helllooo!_

 _SOLDIER is...scary..._

 _I'll be here!_

"Aerith..." Zack felt weightless for the first time in his life, maybe that was how he felt as an infant, maybe all baby's felt that way while in their mother's womb...he didn't know, but the intense burn and pressure in his head were gone for the moment.

Zack thought of her...of Aerith.

 _Zack!_

The rain poured heavily down on what was once a bloody battlefield, covering corpses, plants and earth alike.

His eyes were open but he only registered it when the rain drops started falling into them, sliding over his blood and dirt covered skin to his hair or to soak into his bloody clothes.

He registered the cold, with the cold came the realization of the pain he was in now, but that didn't matter anymore, it was over, the fight was over.

And so was he.

Minutes passed as he laid there, in a pool of his own blood, taking slow ragged breaths, maybe his ribcage was broken, that's why it was so difficult and painful to breathe? Zack didn't know, but he knew this was the end, he wished his last view of the world of the living wouldn't be a dark, rainy sky but he supposed it was better than staring into his enemy's face.

Then he heard sounds, barely so through the ringing in his ears, he tensed, which he soon discovered was a very bad move, as his muscles locked together and caused more blood to gush out and more pain.

Zack drew in a sharp gasp at the wave of pain, trying to focus and stay awake, listening as the person came closer, slowly, as if crawling towards him.

"Z-Zack..." a quiet, fearful whisper of none other than his best friend, who obviously woke up from his mako induced coma.

Knowing he wasn't in any danger, his body slowly relaxed and Zack took another ragged breath in, his hollow eyes slowly refocusing to glance up at his unscathed partner in arms. So they didn't find him...good...that was good, it was all he had to know.

For Cloud's sake, Zack smiled slightly, eyes on his, "For the..." he never knew just how hard it was to talk with at least four broken ribs and punctured...everything, "...both of us..." he smiled, a small ray of hope lightening his previously dead eyes.

Confusion washed over Cloud's features, "For the...both of us?" it was clear he didn't understand Zack's words, but there wasn't much time and time was very precious to Zack right now, every second counted.

"That's right...you're gonna..." he inhaled deeply, his lungs burning like liquid fire.

"You're gonna...?" Cloud didn't understand, tried to understand but couldn't. Zack didn't blame him, he probably didn't make much sense right now.

He forced himself to move, at least his good arm to go to the back of Cloud's head, pulling him down so his forehead rested on the torn flesh of his chest, " _Live,_ " Zack said quietly but clear, closing his eyes briefly to relish in the comfort of knowing Cloud was alright, that everything would be alright.

"You'll be...my living legacy," Zack was sure, he could count on one hand of how many things in his life he was so sure about and this was one of them. A large weight lifted off Zack's chest and he finally let Cloud go, the blond slowly lifted his head, one side of his face and bangs covered in Zack's blood.

Zack smiled, slowly gripping the handle of his sword and bringing it forth in front of Cloud, the tip dragging heavily against the muddy earth, "My honor, my dreams..."

He held it out to him, like a parting gift, which in a way, it was.

"They're yours now," Zack's gaze cleared slightly, intent on showing Cloud how serious he was, despite the extent of his injuries and him knocking on death's door, he had to understand this was important and that he meant it.

Hesitantly, afraid to make a wrong move, Cloud slowly took the hilt of the sword, Zack's hand pushing it toward him one final time before falling uselessly back to his motionless body.

Cloud felt something in him break.

"I'm...your living legacy..." his words lacked the assurance Zack's held, but Zack knew he would gain it with time.

But now his time was over.

Listening to his body's desperate screams for rest, Zack, with a final smile to Cloud, closed his eyes.

It felt as if his senses had been all enhanced tenfold, he could _feel_ how his pulse grew slower and slower, how his bleeding slowly stopped, how his lungs ceased to function at all, how his muscles slackened heavily, he didn't register the pain anymore, nothing.

The only thing he did register was this – he felt...free.

* * *

 _Embrace your dreams, if you want to be a hero you need to have dreams._

The sky cleared and with it his hopes for the future. He knew, Cloud would be alright.

 _That girl, she said that the sky frightened her._

The beautiful smile of that girl resurfaced in his mind and Zack smiled, carefree and relaxed.

In the distance, he saw something approaching him, he wasn't sure what it was at first, but now he was pretty sure.

That one white wing and a smaller one under it.

 _Those wings...I want them too._

And he did, they looked so beautiful, so liberating. What did Cissnei say? They weren't the wings of a monster, but that of an angel. And now that he really looked at them, he had to agree with her.

 _It feels...good._

And it did. No pain, no exhaustion...nothing.

 _If you see Aerith, say hi for me._ He was sure she would write him a letter even to the Lifestream ,just so he could get a piece of her mind. He shook his head, if Cloud would be alright, then she would be too. She was strong, stronger than him sometimes.

He smiled.

 _Hey, would you say I became a hero?_

Oh man, I really hope this wasn't as badly written as I think! I'm sorry for the very, VERY late update everyone! School has been nothing but a horror trip for me! . With all these exams! Well, have a nice day everyone and feedback is always appreciated! ;)


	41. A Vision for the Future

**A/N:** Like I've said before, I'm sorry to say my updates were fewer and far between so far. I've many projects going on at the moment as well as moving to another country and university in RL, so I'm trying to balance my writing with it. **I sincerely apologize for the long wait dear readers, and for those that still waited for this story to be updated, I thank you for the bottom of my heart :)**

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **MyfinalfantasyVII:** T_T (sobs) Thank you so much for your kind (and inspirational) review! I was sure many had given up on this story and I nearly did too, but your review kicked me into action again ^^ Ah, I'm a Cloti fan too :3 However, I've planned a special ending for this story, which I think may satisfy the majority of my readers :) All I can spoil about the ending is that it just may satisfy particularly Cloti fans and maybe some Zifa and Zerith flans along the way ;) Thank you a lot for writing that review, it made me finally write the last few paragraphs I needed to complete this chapter :) See you in the next chapter (hopefully soon)!

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 41: A Vision for the Future**

 _To become the dew that quenches the land  
To spare the sands, the seas, the skies  
I offer thee this silent sacrifice_

\- _LOVELESS, Act V_

"...and that's the story of how I died, I guess," Zack offered a stunned Tifa a small, cheery smile but it fell once he saw the expression on her face.

He took her hand into his and that broke her trance, "Hey," he rubbed at the back of his neck, "Listen, I know it's nothing like a bedtime story to tell kids but I didn't mean to surprise you like that. I guess Cloud never really told you what happened, did he?"

Tifa shook her head, "No...I mean, he didn't even remember it not too long ago...I imagine it came as a shock to him after he got his memories back. When I was in the Lifestream...in his mind...I saw his memories, his own ones, I saw his childhood, Nibelheim, Sephiroth and I saw you too but...I never saw what happened after you escaped," she looked back at him.

Zack was gazing at her calmly, leaning back on the seat in the bar at one of the tables, "Can't blame him to be honest, he had a severe case of mako poisoning back there, I would be surprised if he remembered anything at all." Zack bashfully scratched his cheek, "Heh, all those times I kept rumbling away...sometimes, I'm relieved he doesn't remember all that, sometimes it gave _me_ headaches," he shook his head, chuckling quietly.

Tifa giggled and shook her head at him, "Don't talk like that, maybe he does remember some things but just doesn't know how to talk about them..." she rubbed at her arm, a memory of the two together gazing at the stars one night resurfacing in her mind.

Zack picked up on the change of mood, but chose not to say anything.

Cloud and Tifa had more history together than Zack had with...well anyone, he knew Tifa couldn't just forget Cloud, nor did he expect her to. He still didn't know where that left them, but he was willing to wait to save Cloud and get Sephiroth out of his head once and for all.

Zack looked at Tifa again and smiled, "You know, I always wondered if what Cloud said at that inn one day was true..."

Tifa perked up, raising one eyebrow in question, "What did he say?"

Zack smiled fondly, "It was at Nibelheim...the first thing he asked after he woke up was if you were okay," he watched how a fond look crossed her features, "Then I asked him if he knew you, he said 'sort of'," he watched how her expression changed from fond to mildly confused, "I thought that meant he was embarrassed to approach you, but after I squeezed some words out of him, I realized he knew you but didn't want to disappoint you,"

"Disappoint me?" Tifa tilted her head, confusion taking over her.

Zack nodded, "SOLDIER," as soon as the word left Zack's lips, a look of recognition passed over Tifa's features and they grew sad.

"He's been bothered to not have joined SOLDIER like he promised, he thought he failed..." Zack frowned, mind flooded with his own memories.

Tifa curiously looked at him from her seat opposite of him, "And what did you tell him?"

Zack smiled, something bitter, something...familiar in his eyes, "I told him what SOLDIER was like..."

He stood up then, grabbing his glass and deciding that, for once, he was in need of something stronger than water, despite his soldier blood.

"What was it like?" he could hear how Tifa was already expecting something not entirely good to leave his lips at that question.

His eyes glowed, "...Like a den of monsters,"

* * *

His eyes glowed the color he had loathed all his life, the color that made everyone brand him as one of Shinra's dogs.

He dragged himself towards the forest, not able to bear the presence of those remnants any longer, Sephiroth has ceased his control over him so Cloud took the opportunity to get away from the lair.

He had seen Hojo and it took all of Sephiroth's willpower to make him not attack the man at sight. Cloud had been enraged, of course he had, but he had also been surprised. He never thought it had been possible for Hojo to have survived. It wasn't just that, he had thought that back then Hojo was old, but looking at him now, aside from a few more wrinkles and a few more nasty sneers, he hadn't changed much. He had been delighted at seeing Cloud, remarking how he "grew all up", eyeing him and his swords. It had been a sick game on Hojo's part, watching him examine him while he was unable to do anything thanks to Sephiroth's hold.

He wished he was stronger to hold him back, control the Geostigma attacks, but he couldn't do anything.

He heard something to his right and in a reflexive kind of motion, Cloud reached for the sword at his back only to meet the red, tattered fabric of Vincent's cloak.

"Vincent?" he relaxed from his stance and found the ominous man to be eyeing him closely, no doubt assessing if he was in control of himself or not, "It's me," Cloud nodded to reassure him, making sure to act as peaceful as possible to the gunslinger.

Vincent wasn't the most social one of their group, but he certainly understood something of reading people's emotions, and sometimes their minds, so when the slight doubt finally vanished from Vincent's eyes did Cloud dare to breathe a sigh of relief.

"I see you've managed to break free," Vincent commented lowly, eyeing the lair over his head.

Cloud shook his head, "Sephiroth's weakened," Cloud's eyes narrowed, "Is someone with you?" he looked around, sensing someone else's presence.

"Hm, never pegged you to be paranoid, Strife," Cloud's eyes narrowed when he spotted a man he thought he would never see again.

He froze, blue eyes widening slightly, "...Genesis?" he looked back at Vincent, who only looked at him without a word, "You're alive?" he frowned.

Genesis frowned, observing Cloud for a while, " _We already met, we even clashed swords so why doesn't he remember our first encounter?"_ he watched the too vibrant green swirling with blue in his eyes, " _Tch...Sephiroth...what could you possibly gain of messing up his memories?"_ he chose to take the safe approach, feigning surprise as if seeing him for the first time.

Genesis smiled, moving a few strands of hair away from his eyes as he leaned against one of the trees, "You would think mako was kind to you with the years..." his expression lost its playful edge, "I've heard dear old Sephiroth has awakened from the dead," his expression was anything but happy.

Cloud stiffened, "...Does Zack know you're-" Genesis cut him off, eyes glowing.

"Alive? Oh yes he does, I've told him myself," he shared a look with the gunslinger, "He sent us here to watch the lair, we hadn't quite accounted for to stumble upon you walking around," he smirked.

Cloud frowned, "Vincent," he moved his gaze to the tall gunslinger, "What's Zack's plan? He has to find a way to defeat Hojo first, I can't do much from here," in truth, he didn't _know_ if he could. Would Sephiroth be able to stop him if he rampaged inside the lab and tried to destroy it? The remnants would pose a problem, but perhaps Hojo would be insane enough to command them not to stop him if only to get ahold of his S cells...

Vincent frowned apologetically, shaking his head as he leaned against the tree, "I can't tell you the plan Cloud," his gaze met Cloud's perplexed one, "I don't know if what we tell you will be relayed to Sephiroth," his red gaze narrowed, "Sephiroth messes with your mind, we don't know if he's aware of conversations taking place outside of his control,"

Cloud tensed, "...He seems aware of what is going on...without being in control," he noticed the distressed look on Genesis' face, "Listen, I don't know when he will be back, but I have a message," he turned back to look at Vincent, "For Tifa,"

The gunslinger perked up, raising one eyebrow in reply.

Cloud frowned, "Tell her that..." their last conversation played in his head and he clenched his fist, "Tell her that she should look out for Marlene, Denzel and herself, and for Zack too." His expression softened, "I've made a promise I failed to keep..." he lowered his head and Vincent shook his head.

"Sins are meant to be remembered but not be grant control over oneself," Vincent turned around with those words, Genesis watching the exchange with mild interest and a small smirk.

Cloud frowned, "Have you tried to break free?" Vincent paused, considering.

"I already did Cloud," as if on cue, Cloud could sense a pulsating kind of power from Vincent, the power of chaos. He understood...he may be living, literally, with his demons but he didn't let them dictate his life...

The blond was left alone with the departure of his friend and the thought to be dead SOLDIER First Class, standing there in the middle of the forest.

A voice at the back of his mind was whispering words to him and as if on command, he turned around to head back inside the lab.

He thought it was Sephiroth's.

* * *

"He's had the Stigma...but I don't know for how long," she looked from her position behind the bar counter over at Zack, who was sitting in one of the booths.

The ex SOLDIER stared at his empty glass, "I wonder...if it had been a coincidence that made him get Geostigma. After all, it's proven it isn't contagious, so how did he get infected?" Tifa only furrowed her brows, deeply in thought.

"I...I don't know," she stared at the bar counter, "I don't know much else since he left to live alone. He never answers the phone, but I know he gets my messages because our customers never complain about undelivered packages and Cloud sends half of his income to Seventh Heaven," she paused, gathering herself, "I didn't really know why he left in the first place, at least, not in the beginning," that made Zack raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"What did you think why he left?" his expression softened at the look of hurt in her eyes, he only detected it due to having been trained to be very perceptive, after all in a job like his, it could save his life. Even if she kept her feelings bottled up, he could still see traces of them here and there.

"I thought..." she didn't meet his gaze, "...it was because of her," his eyes widened when she finally looked up at him, "Because he went to live in the church. Among the flowers she usually loved so much," Tifa's expression melted into a soft smile, reminiscing of days long gone.

Zack smiled, "Did I tell you she nearly slapped me for almost stepping on her flowers the first time we met?" he chuckled, remembering the scene as if it were only yesterday.

Tifa's eyes grew large in surprise, "What? Aerith _slapping_ you?" she blinked, slightly caught off guard, "Hmm...maybe it does sound a bit like her," she shook her head, amused.

Zack grinned sheepishly, "Well...maybe not 'slapped', but she definitely looked ready to if I hadn't done what she said," the laughter that sounded from her was a relief to Zack. Finally she was laughing, a sound he missed the past few days.

He could tell she was clearly concerned about Cloud. Despite their argument a while back, words couldn't just simply erase one's feelings forever.

Zack suspected, if he never had come into the picture, if he hadn't started liking Tifa as more than a friend, then maybe...

 _"_ _Maybe they would have been happier,"_ he smiled serenely, fingering the rim of his glass.

"Is something wrong?" the question was met with a small smile from Zack.

"No, just thinking,"

And somehow, Tifa had a hunch who preoccupied Zack's thoughts, because he did hers too.

She had never come quite to peace ever since Cloud and her had argued that one fateful day. Sure, he had distanced himself from his family, but who was she to keep him in a place he didn't want to be? She couldn't force him to stay with them, maybe it was better this way after all.

 _Maybe...those things only work for real families._

The door suddenly flew open and Tifa's thought process paused when she saw Reno at the door.

"Did you find something?" she immediately asked and the Turk glanced at her.

Reno seemed oddly serious, "Genesis met up with Spike, but he didn't want to say much else, yo. Seems like Sephiroth is aware of everything going on even when he's not in control of Cloud,"

Tifa's eyes widened, "So, that means-"

Zack stood up from his seat, "It means he's been one step ahead of us every time." Zack's gaze narrowed at Reno, "Listen, I know we used to be on the enemy sides for a while, but this isn't just about Turks and SOLDIERs. Sephiroth's capable of destroying this whole world if he's successfully resurrected through the remnants. We don't know where Jenova's head is, but we have to find it before word travels to Cloud,"

Reno mustered Zack for a moment with a critical eye, "Rude's gathering some information for us." He looked Zack directly in the eye, "It should be a cinch, right?" he smirked and Zack smiled, nodding.

"Well, I'm off yo," Reno waved lazily at the pair before walking out of the bar quietly.

Zack and Tifa remained in a comfortable silence, each lost to their own thoughts until Tifa suddenly said, "Maybe it's not too late..."

Zack turned his head to look at Tifa quizzically, "What do you mean?"

Tifa's grip on the counter tightened, "I mean...maybe it's not too late to save Cloud. From Sephiroth I mean. From...himself." her voice turned into a whisper, "Maybe I can't force him to stay here if he doesn't want to, but maybe I can still relieve him of Geostigma and Sephiroth's control once and for all," her hands clenched into fists, shaking from the force.

She froze when Zack gently but firmly placed his hand over Tifa's, stopping the shaking, his eyes were a ray of hope in the dark tunnel Tifa found herself grounded in since Cloud's departure, "Cloud's tough, he'll figure something out as soon as he figures out how far Sephiroth's control reaches." He straightened, grinning with a flash of white teeth, "We just have to figure out how to stop the remnants and beat up Hojo, right?"

Tifa had a hunch what he would say next and she was right.

"This should be a cinch," and Tifa laughed.

* * *

"Well, brother, seems like you're back from your night walk," Kadaj commented with a amused smirk, recognizing the vibrant green of Cloud's eyes.

"Yes," it was Cloud's voice but he knew who was really speaking.

"Soon, we will become one again and help Mother attain her freedom," there was something like child-like excitement, perhaps not as obvious as Loz's, but something radiated off Kadaj that suggested the mere idea of reuniting with Jenova again caused sincere affections to surface from him, despite his evil nature.

 _'_ _Not if I can help it,'_ Cloud's voice sounded strained from within his own mind, but he held on stubbornly, gaze narrowing at the green haze that seemed to constantly permeate his mind.

Sephiroth's chuckle echoed through Cloud's thought process and the green in Cloud's eyes grew more vibrant.

 **It's been a very long time everyone and I'm very glad that some of you didn't give up on this story! Thank you for your continued support! :) I'll try to update when I can!**


	42. The First Choice

**A/N:** Phew…almost time for my one week semester break, I hope I get to publish another chapter before my new internship starts! For those readers of mine still reading and waiting, thank you INFINITELY for your patience! (bows)

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **A Fan:** Thanks so much for the sweet compliments! :3 Your review certainly helped me get a bit of my motivation back and I hope school and my new internship won't get too much in the way and the next chapter won't come out months later T_T

 **Pikku-Prinsessa:** Thank you! :)

 **Makonachi:** haha Thank you lots! Hope you will enjoy this chapter too :)

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 42: The First Choice**

Two days had passed since Reno had walked into Seventh Heaven and informed them that Vincent and Genesis had met Cloud in the Forgotten City and learned he was fighting for control over his body and mind again.

Two days had passed since the Turks announced their involvement in helping Cloud and searching for Jenova's head.

Two days since Zack had basically locked himself in Cloud's room and started brooding.

Tifa was beginning to worry, since that fit Cloud's personality more than Zack's to brood over something so intensely, nevertheless she knocked softly on the door before opening it.

The smell of old paper, leather and Cloud's faint cologne wafted through the gap when she opened the door and a nostalgic feeling swept over her in that moment. For just a minute, she was expecting her childhood friend, now a young man, to be sitting in his chair at the desk and looking over maps to plan a route for his deliveries and not the thought-to-be-deceased ex-SOLDIER that had saved him two years ago.

To her own surprise, she had been coping with everything well so far. She always had a feeling Cloud tried to distance himself from them and at first, she tried to give him his space, his time to wrap his head around living with a woman and two orphans they adopted. She thought it was the fact they weren't a real family and playing 'house'.

She never would have suspected the same awful disease that Denzel suffered from to also befall Cloud. He never had any episodes like Denzel, having random outbursts of fever and panting fits and then immediate exhaustion which could result in bed rest for a day or two or on better days, the afternoon.

She never noticed, while washing his clothes, that he ever had the black liquid stuck to his shirt like Denzel had on his forehead.

She never noticed him holding his arm at times as if in pain, then acting natural the next minute as if nothing ever happened.

She often asked herself if she was to blame for everything, for the rift Cloud had put between them, for the suffering of her adopted children, for the future that was now being threatened yet again-

"Tifa?" she jumped mildly in surprise, blinking until her eyes locked on Zack, who was standing and looking at her strangely, "…Are you alright?" he rose an eyebrow.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, Tifa composed herself, "I...just wanted to see how you were doing, you've been here for a while," her eyes scanned the room, once looking so bare and cold ever since Cloud started living in the church, not that it looked that much different from before.

Before, Cloud used to have a worn punching bag in the corner, a medium-sized tool kit, his storage box full of materia, at least three maps planted to the walls and his sword leaned either against the wall or the closet. Cloud's room was always tidy, even when he was working in it, but now it lacked those items that were just so ' _Cloud'_.

Zack rubbed at the back of his neck, scratching at it absentmindedly, "Yeah…I'm sorry, I just had to think things through," there was something in his eyes that she couldn't quite identify, "And I think I may have an idea how to go about saving Cloud and finding Jenova's head before the remnants do,"

Her eyebrows shot up to her hairline, "What? How can you know?" Zack gestured for her to come inside and she did, walking over to the desk to see Zack had been drawing lines and circles on a piece of paper.

"I never was one for crafts and arts, but I'll try to explain what I've been thinking of. You see this?" he pointed to a rectangular shape at the top left corner, Tifa nodded, "This is the reactor at Nibelheim, or at least when it was still active back then and this," he pointed at a pointy triangle, "Is the Northern Crater, a mountain covered by snow," at the mention of her hometown a familiar but old ache built up in her chest but Tifa nodded again, "Right, and this," he moved his finger to a wobbly-looking circle right next to it, "Is Jenova's head, not nearly as ugly as the real thing, but it will have to do," Tifa smiled at his joke, "The reactor was the last place known to have Jenova's head,"

" _Northern Crater?"_ Tifa vaguely dismissed the thought, "Since you said Sephiroth fell into it along with her head, it should still be there," Zack nodded at Tifa's words, continuing.

"Yeah, but the Turks went there weeks ago and were ambushed by strange creatures," his gaze narrowed, "I suspect they are the remnants,"

"But Nibelheim has been rebuilt, it's impossible that there were Jenova's remains," Tifa frowned before Zack waved his index finger in the air.

"Not the reactor, but the crater. The Turks went to the Northern Crater, I heard Reno and Rude talking about it," he crossed his arms, "Also known as the place the remnants attacked them,"

Tifa's eyes widened, "But that means-" her gaze froze in horror.

"Tseng and Elena are still being held hostage and if I have to guess, they're being held at the Forgotten City somewhere in Hojo's lab," at Zack's words, a rush of horror swept over Tifa's spine.

Zack nodded solemnly, not missing the way her eyes widened in worry, "The bastard may try to inject them with the tainted mako if he didn't already,"

Tifa gestured angrily with her hands, running a hand through her hair, "Cloud must know they're inside somewhere! The Turks may suspect something too that's why it's important for them to help Cloud at the same time, aside from owing him something," she sighed, walking around the room, "But that doesn't make any sense. If the remnants came from what was left of the reactor, then why isn't Jenova's head with them?"

Zack shook his head, clasping his hands behind his head, "That, I didn't work out yet." He sighed heavily, his face contorted into a frown, suspicion written all over it, "Listen, SOLDIER and the Turks always had a cat and dog kinda relationship, so I wouldn't put it past them to be hiding something from us," he crossed his arms, lazily walking around the room as well.

Tifa stopped at the window, turning to look at the tall soldier, "You think…the Turks may be behind it? That…that they have Jenova's head?"

Zack nodded, the subtle shadows cross his face making him appear older, even slightly… sinister, "Well…" he shrugged, crossing his arms, "Nothing is impossible, right?"

Tifa frowned, staring at the bare spot of the corner at the wall where Cloud's tool kit used to be, "But…they wouldn't endanger their own people like this, would they? Even they are only human, just like you and Cloud and everyone else, despite everything," she could see the conflicted emotions play on Zack's face, she imagined she looked like that too right now.

Zack shook his head, "I…don't know," his hesitant confession stunned Tifa slightly, "I knew I never wanted to become a Turk, partly because of all the crappy paperwork and the itchy suits, but also because they operate differently than us. They're like shadows or assassins, covertly carrying out their missions and nobody ever knows what they're up to or who they're following next," he buried his hands in his pants pockets, staring at his boots, "They've been keeping an eye on Aerith that way too. I only find out their connection at the end, when Tseng insinuated it and when I saw him watching Aerith from afar a few times. But he did that on purpose, otherwise I don't think I would have found out," his eyes traveled over to Tifa again, "What do you think?"

The barmaid bit her bottom lip worriedly, trying to make sense of the situation.

She trusted Zack, trusted his words, but couldn't wrap her head around it at all.

If the Turks really _had_ Jenova's head, why would they be endangering their very own people, which had remained loyal all these years? Of course, they wanted to prevent Sephiroth's revival, but why would they put the whole world on the line? Why didn't they inform Cloud or any of them about it?

Nothing made sense and Tifa felt she was trying to win a losing battle the further she thought about the situation, "…So you're saying…the Turks are the ones not to be trusted?" according to Zack's frown, she was right.

"I'm not saying they want us harm or that they are involved with Hojo and the remnants, otherwise they would have actively supported Sephiroth's revival. I also know Tseng would never let that happen, he wouldn't suddenly switch sides like that. But I can't figure out why they wouldn't tell _us_ anything," Zack palmed at the taut skin of his neck agitatedly.

"It doesn't make sense…" Tifa quietly whispered, staring at the picture of their little makeshift family sitting on the desk.

Zack didn't understand too, he didn't know _what_ made sense anymore either.

"I mean, they never told Cloud anything when he first went to Healen Lodge to talk to Rufus about the appearance of the remnants," Zack's eyes widened suddenly, and he turned around to look at Tifa in surprise.

"…Rufus…" Zack's voice went from surprised to frantic, " _Of course!_ It's Rufus! Rufus must be hiding something! Maybe even Jenova's head!" he calmed down slightly when he looked at Tifa's sober expression, his gaze narrowing, "Rufus Shinra…I can't say I trust him but I thought maybe he wouldn't entirely be like the President…" he sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Where's Healen Lodge?" Tifa pointed to a marked location on the map strapped to the wall in front of the desk and when Zack scanned the areas around it and made a mental route in his head, he suddenly grabbed the keys to Lycana and Buster from his resting place against the wall.

He walked passed Tifa and she looked at his retreating back, following after him, "Where are you going?"

Zack stopped at the foot of the stairs, looking up at Tifa, "I'm gonna go talk to Rufus," Tifa balled her hands into fists when she saw him start for the door.

Jumping the rest of the way down the stairs, Tifa maneuvered herself over Zack's head to block his path from going outside, stunning the soldier with her acrobatics, "Woah…that was neat,"

She frowned, "I'm going with you," she crossed her arms and leaned her back against the door resolutely.

Zack looked disgruntled, "But someone has to stay here in case Reno or Rude come with news about Cloud!"

Tifa was having none of it, "Listen and listen well," she poked Zack's chest, "I'm tired of having to be at home worrying all the time. Ever since our last battle two years ago, I have the feeling like everyone just split up and nothin' was the same anymore!" her expression softened and it broke Zack's heart, "Cloud became different too…when he had problems with Geostigma I didn't notice…I never noticed the signs," her eyes met his bravely, her voice stronger now, "So, _yes_ I'm coming with you because I want to help fix this so that Cloud can come home!"

Zack's eyes widened.

 _I want to help fix this so that Cloud can come home!_

"You…you changed your mind?" Zack tilted his head, thoroughly confused but guarded.

Tifa smiled, a small and sad smile, "No, I never really did. It's true, Cloud may never answer the phone since this whole thing started, but he didn't throw it away either. He also never ignored my messages because he always did what I asked of him. He always comes home, even if it's in the middle of the night and he doesn't know that I stay up to see if he makes it home safe," She looked at the floor, "We…we may never be a _real_ family, but we try and that's important, right?" she smiled, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

Tifa sighed heavily, "Whatever the case, I'll do what I did before. I'll help Cloud in any way I can until he's better," she had a faraway look in her eyes and Zack thought she might be reminiscing, "Then we'll see how things go from there,"

Zack's stunned expression melted, and he couldn't help but feel his chest constrict with an emotion he willed himself not to feel, "Right," he nodded, before gesturing outside, "Well? What are we waiting for? Let's pay Rufus a visit,"

Tifa smiled up at him and nodded and Zack didn't miss the way she retrieved her fighting gloves from the inside of her pockets behind her skirt, donning them on her way to the garage.

He had a feeling Tifa would do the talking instead.

* * *

A well-timed duck and an arched brow was all Reno got before he froze mid-swing and drew back his rod, "Woah! It's you guys, sorry, all those cuddly greetings with Cloud made me jumpy, ya know," he rested his baton lightly against his shoulder, the light tapping of his weapon deliberate.

Tifa arched an amused eyebrow, crossing her arms while Zack blinked, "Well, this greeting will be just as cuddly, yo," she winked playfully at Reno before turning to his silent partner and offering a soft smile. Rude only nodded, praying that his embarrassment was not seen on his face as the beautiful barmaid made her way toward Rufus' desk.

The sudden slam of hands on the desk made the men jump in surprise and Zack recoiled, unused to seeing this…violent side of Tifa that, for once, wasn't directed at enemies.

She was silent, staring at Rufus and the man smiled, soft spoken and calm as ever, "Ah, miss Lockhart, what a pleasant surprise. Care for some tea?"

She cut to the case, "I'm sorry for barging in uninvited and causing a disturbance, but I won't be sorry for my future actions if you don't tell me everything you know about Jenova," her expression was soft but her eyes spelled death.

Rufus chuckled, seemingly unfazed, "Jenova?" he sounded surprised, "I recall having a similar conversation with Cloud not too long ago, tell me, have you discovered something new?" Rufus' smile was all too knowing and that irked her.

Tifa straightened, gloved fingertips touching the desk lightly, "Sephiroth is able to control Cloud," she regarded him carefully, trying to read his expression just by his exposed lower jaw underneath the large white cloak, her eyes zeroed in on the Geostigma visibly peeking forth on his hand, "We don't know how far his control reaches, he may be able to only control Cloud or maybe even everyone with Geostigma," her voice turned soft at the end, gazing at Rufus in understanding.

The man's lips moved into a thin line, "I see, where is Cloud now?" he moved his head as if looking behind Tifa, but only spotting Zack, "Ah, the thought-to-be-dead First Class. Welcome to the world of the living, First Class Zack Fair,"

Zack shifted his weight, not entirely too comfortable with the whole situation, "So you heard of me…"

Rufus chuckled, "How could I not? You were quite the promising SOLDIER before the incident," Tifa was pretty sure about _what_ incident he was talking about.

Her fist clenched, "Cloud is being held hostage at the Forgotten City." Her gaze hardened suddenly, hand resting against her hip, "Rufus…what didn't you tell Cloud?"

Silence stretched over the two, Reno and Rude shared a look with each-other before Reno glanced at Zack and both men appeared to be nervous, not knowing how the pugilist would react should Rufus not tell the truth this time around either.

There was a sigh, then, "You must have figured it out, otherwise you wouldn't be here…" he eyed her gloved hands calculatingly, as if trying to determine what the possibility was of her getting physical, "…ready to resolve the matter," moving his hand above his head, he signaled for Reno.

The Turk nodded, walking toward a door to the right and disappearing in the unseen room for a few minutes until he returned with a dark box in his hands, locked shut and reinforced with a ' _dangerous_ ' sign.

Tifa could only guess what was inside, "So, you did have it after all…" Reno placed the container on the table and blended with the background again, well away from the unpredictable barmaid.

Rufus nodded, looking at the container, "We found it at our expedition to the Northern Crater, just before…" at this, his voice lowered, "Tseng and Elena had the chance to climb up the ladder to the chopper. The remnants have somehow awakened and it was too late to head back without endangering ourselves and our new discovery," Tifa frowned, clearly concerned for the well-being of the two Turks.

"Then can you explain to me how Hojo is alive?" she crossed her arms, posture calmer but still looking ready to act. Zack could only listen as Rufus paused.

"…Hojo?" he frowned, "Hojo the scientist?" Tifa nodded, "Hm…so the rumors were true after all," at Tifa and Zack's confused looks, Rufus elaborated with a calm hand gesture, "Rumors spread of possibly seeing a white cloaked figure wearing Shinra's logo…at first, we thought it to be a prank but the rumors persisted until we decided to take action two weeks ago," he lowered his head, "Unfortunately with no results, as you can see. We haven't heard anything since,"

Zack stepped forward, blue eyes narrowing warningly, "So, it's your fault Hojo's out and about brainwashing people?!" Tifa's head turned to him attentively, "If you had followed up on those rumors sooner maybe you would have caught him before he decided to taint mako and inject people with it,"

Reno gasped, "Whoa, whoa, slow down porcupine!" Rude frowned when Zack glared at his partner, discreetly rolling his shoulders and relaxing his muscles, "We didn't even know Hojo could still be alive! Heck, he was a fossil when you were just a rookie and with the explosion, we thought there was no chance for him to have possibly survived,"

Zack frowned, looking from Reno to Rufus, approaching his desk to stand next to Tifa, "If you know anything on how to stop that epidemic from spreading or stopping Hojo, now would be the time to talk, Rufus," the younger Shinra couldn't deny the truth in Zack's words, much less the urgency they were dealing with.

If what they said was true, that Hojo truly was back and had the remnants _and_ Cloud at his disposal, then they would be facing a bigger problem than just the remnants searching for Jenova's head. Sephiroth's resurrection would speed up thanks to Cloud's unwilling aid, it would be much more difficult subduing them now with the swordsman at their side, as much as Rufus loathed to admit it. Cloud was a formidable fighter, one Rufus not dared to engage in battle without at least a whole squadron of his finest Turks at his back.

His gaze, hidden beneath the white cloak, stared at his desk, "Geostigma is a product of the tainted Lifestream, a result of Jenova and Sephiroth merging with it, a substance which disrupts the delicate balance of life." He clasped his hands together thoughtfully, "You said Hojo was injecting people with tainted mako, do those people get Geostigma from the mako injection?"

Zack shook his head, "We don't know, we haven't encountered any of them yet but we suspect they're gathering….test subjects for Hojo to try it out on," his voice lowered, "Hojo could be turning them into monsters for all we know," his voice was quiet now and Tifa's fist shook as she slammed it down on the desk, Reno sharing a nervous look with Rude.

"Cloud was here before, what did you talk to him about?" Tifa's expression remained calm, but Zack suspected it wouldn't be long before she lost her cool.

Rufus didn't seem too disturbed or if he was, he was hiding it well enough, "I was asking if he were interested to join us," his words were simple but they stoked a fire in Tifa.

"After everything he's been through because of _your_ company you've offered him to _work_ for the same company that nearly killed him and his best friend? That killed and manipulated _his_ mentors and idols?" she inclined her head towards Zack, whose expression hardened at the flashes of memories.

Rufus' remained stoic, almost calm, "My father was killed in the explosion," his words sounded detached, lacking any emotion and Zack wondered if he really didn't miss his father at all, "The Shinra he led was full of mistakes, inhuman experiments that forced our soldiers to become less human the more difficult their missions got." His clasped fingers suddenly tightened, "I may share his blood, however, I do believe we may change the way the world thinks of the name 'Shinra' as well as pay our debt to the best of our abilities, everything we've taken from the planet and from the people that are still here," he gazed meaningfully at them both.

Reno looked at Zack and the raven-haired man was unsure of how to judge his thoughtful expression. It seemed…unsettling.

"How do you plan to deal with the remnants then?" Zack suddenly felt stupid for asking, when Tifa smiled at him.

Zack groaned, "Great, more grunt work,"

Tifa chuckled, "You'll get used to it," she patted his shoulder before turning to Rufus.

"Of course, if you require any assistance, I'm sure Reno and Rude would be at your disposal,"

Almost immediately the two Turks straightened and shared a look, before looking at Tifa and Zack.

Tifa smiled kindly, "Thank you Rufus, we'll be going now,"

Zack grinned when the barmaid was walking toward the door, he shrugged, "You heard the lady," with that, he followed after her, noticing the stunned looks on the Turk duo with satisfaction.

When the door closed behind them, the room remained silent for several minutes, until Reno turned to look at his superior and fix him with a panicked look, "What the hell yo?! Why lump us in fighting with the barmaid chick?! You have any idea how crazy strong she is?!"

Rude cleared his throat, hands clasped firmly in front of him, "I wouldn't mind assisting her in combat,"

Reno mumbled under his breath, "Of course you wouldn't…"

Before a verbal fight could break out between the two, Rufus cleared his throat and a sliver of a smile appeared on his lips, "I'm certain things would get interesting now that AVALANCHE has decided to join the battle,"

Rude rose an eyebrow, "What makes you think they will?"

Rufus smirked, "There is one thing Cloud and I, despite our many drawbacks, have come to an agreement," he chuckled softly, "Trust Tifa Lockhart to handle a situation well and make the first decision,"

And suddenly, the two Turks looked concerned. Very concerned.

 **Thank you all kindly for reading! :)**


	43. Black and White

**A/N:** Phew…exam time and that means…studying and studying and more studying. I'm sorry for all those having to wait for ages for an update, my studies have taken quite a lot of my free time :/ For those readers of mine still reading and waiting, thank you INFINITELY for your patience! (bows)

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Makonachi:** Thank you so much for your review and the encouragement, I promise I won't let the story die, I'll try to find more time to work on it since it's been one of my first stories I've started with :)

 **Jacklack987:** Yes it is, unfortunately RL and my other stories took an unfair priority over it but I'll try to update more frequently! :)

 **EDIT: Thanks Anon for the review! I have to confess I've been pulling all-nighters for my exams and failed to properly re-read the whole chapter before publishing (a rookie's mistake on my part). I added a bit more text to the paragraph, since I didn't really portray the way Genesis meant that comment (not to say she was a manipulative seductress in the traditional sense, more like she unknowingly pulled them in her spell not only with her appearance but also her physical prowess).**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 43: Black and White**

 _Previously on "A Hero's Second Chance…"_

 _When the door closed behind them, the room remained silent for several minutes, until Reno turned to look at his superior and fix him with a panicked look, "What the hell yo?! Why lump us in fighting with the barmaid chick?! You have any idea how crazy strong she is?!"_

 _Rude cleared his throat, hands clasped firmly in front of him, "I wouldn't mind assisting her in combat,"_

 _Reno mumbled under his breath, "Of course you wouldn't…"_

 _Before a verbal fight could break out between the two, Rufus cleared his throat and a sliver of a smile appeared on his lips, "I'm certain things would get interesting now that AVALANCHE has decided to join the battle,"_

 _Rude rose an eyebrow, "What makes you think they will?"_

 _Rufus smirked, "There is one thing Cloud and I, despite our many drawbacks, have come to an agreement," he chuckled softly, "Trust Tifa Lockhart to handle a situation well and make the first decision,"_

 _And suddenly, the two Turks looked concerned. Very concerned._

* * *

Zack jogged down the stairs to catch up with Tifa, who was opening a compartment on his motorcycle at the back.

He stopped awkwardly in front of the machine, scratching his neck, "So…uh…what's the plan?" he raised his hands helplessly, hoping he didn't come off as the idiot he felt like, "I mean – I get that we have to save ol' Cloud and all and stop crazy Hojo, but… _how_? Not to say I doubt your strength, I've sparred with you and that's enough bruises to last me a lifetime," he crossed his arms, looking at Tifa expectantly.

Tifa smiled, retrieving a duffel bag, "We'll gather the team and make a distraction so that we can get Cloud away from the remnants and Hojo," Zack eyed the bag she held in her hand.

"What's that?"

Tifa smiled, walking right in front of him and opening the bag so Zack could look inside of it.

His eyes lightened up in excitement and awe, "Woah…" he looked back up at Tifa, who had a small smirk on her lips, "Now where did you get this, Miss Lockhart?" he grinned widely, feeling utterly bewitched by the brunette beauty before him.

The pugilist chuckled, closing the bag and storing it safely inside the compartment again before taking a seat on the bike, "Yuffie happens to be in a generous mood now and again and is willing to share some of her goods," there was a mischievous twinkle in her eye Zack wasn't sure he should be afraid of or impressed by, "Cloud has his materia box and…I have mine," she smiled, waving him over, "Come on, there's no time to waste,"

Zack grinned, mock saluting, "Yes, ma'am!" before he jumped on his bike and revved the engine, taking off at quick speed across the rocky terrain.

Zack jumped in his seat and he narrowly steadied Lycana and avoided a collision with a boulder when he felt Tifa's hand slip into his pants pocket, "Woah! Hey, hey, hey! Hands off woman, I'm not a priest, but I learned it's dangerous doing those things while driving!" he shot her a mock sideways glare.

Tifa rolled her eyes, fishing out his phone and flipping it open and dialing a few numbers before pressing it to her ear, "Oh shush you. Eyes on the road, Zack, we still need Lycana in one piece if we want to get Cloud back," she giggled at his scowl, but he complied and returned his attention to the road ahead.

Almost immediately, several voices, most of which were loud, booming ones greeted her.

" _Tell it to Barret!"_

 _"_ _What's up Tifa?"_

 _"_ _Hiya Tifa!"_

 _"_ _Tifa?"_

Tifa smiled, "Hey guys, listen how about a get together with the old team hm?" her smile widened when there was a chorus of agreement, of varying degrees of volume.

" _Yeahaa! Finally Teef! Say does Cloud still have his materia chest? I'm sure he won't be missing a few right?"_ Yuffie's cheerful voice rose above the others until Barret's booming tone trumped hers.

" _Quit foolin' round kid! We gotta save Spike and teach that crazy scientist a lesson eh? I'm in Tifa!"_ Tifa smirked at Barret's determination.

Cid spoke up then, equally as enthusiastic as Barret, " _Heh, Spike got himself in trouble again huh? Looks like we're the ones saving his ass again, well at least we get to drink later right? Count me the hell in!"_ loud cheers were heard, even from Yuffie and Tifa giggled.

"Vincent?"

The gunslinger replied more reservedly than the rest, " _I'll meet you there,"_

Tifa smirked and Barret's and Cid's voices immediately shouted over one another.

 _"_ _Huh?! Wait, what?! Meet where?!"_

 _"_ _Damn it Vincent! Quit being so cryptic, where do we have ta meet?!"_

Tifa shook her head and Zack shot her an amused smile, hearing bits and pieces from the conversation despite the roar of the engine, "Cid, get Shera ready, we'll all meet in the Forgotten City. Try to land somewhere hidden so the remnants don't know you're there, I'll let you in on the details later,"

 _"_ _Oi! I don't like this Tifa, I don't like this one bit!"_ Tifa had to smile at Barret's mildly concerned tone.

 _"_ _Yeah! How do I know what weapons to bring?! Is my lance enough? Should I bring some more firepower? You're not precise enough Tifa!"_

 _"_ _Oh quit it you jerks! She said she'll tell us there so shut up and don't get your panties in a twist! Come on, let's pack!"_ Yuffie's voice was exasperated and Tifa could hear the clanging of metal as she rearranged her weapons.

Tifa giggled when the men murmured something under their breaths before the friends bid each-other goodbye and ended the calls.

Zack glanced briefly behind himself to see Tifa pocketing his phone, "So? What did they say?"

"They'll meet us there, but before we go we still need to stop at the bar and collect another ally," she smiled.

Zack groaned, "More surprise guests?"

Tifa shook her head with a smile, "Nope, in fact, you know him pretty good,"

Zack frowned.

* * *

Once the two reached Seventh Heaven, they immediately ventured into the bar and saw the familiar figure sitting at the counter.

Zack crossed his arms, "Figures you would drink wine,"

Genesis smiled behind the rim of his glass, eyes locked on Tifa, "I suppose there is work to be done, after all?"

Tifa nodded, "Right. We wanted to ask you to help us in rescuing Cloud, since you also share a past not only with him but also with Hojo,"

Genesis scoffed, "That is quite an understatement," he gracefully placed his glass back on the counter before standing up from his chair, "It looks like I have no choice." His wing unfurled, the dark feathery appendage moving gracefully in the limited space of the bar.

The pugilist could only smile, "Thank you," Genesis nodded in acknowledgment before the three were on their way to their destination.

* * *

"You might wanna fill me in on the plan, since uh, I'll be the one in the way of those blades you know?" Zack wished he had modified Lycana just like Cloud had Fenrir, to be able to drive more quietly for covert operations, just like this one.

Tifa chanced a glance back to look at the airborne Genesis and smiled, "Are you familiar with strategic envelopment?" almost immediately, flashes of the battlefield and his time in Shinra entered his mind and Zack swallowed.

"Yeah, what of it?" he wasn't sure he would like her answer.

Tifa squeezed his shoulder, "We won't be attack them head on, Genesis, you and I will wait until Cid and the others attack the remnants. We don't know if Hojo will bring out Cloud from the start, or if he will keep him locked inside. Let's assume Cloud and Hojo will be the only ones in the facility, I think the three of us are the best people to confront them when it comes to fighting," she shot a pointed glance at Genesis, "Besides, I'm sure not only you have a bone to pick with Hojo,"

Zack grunted, fingers tightening reflexively around the tough leather of the motorcycle handle bars, "Nice thinking Lockhart, so we swoop in unnoticed while the others do the dirty work? Sounds like a plan," his expression turned serious, "What about the Turks? Don't think they won't get involved after you threatened them into it," he smirked when he felt a small, playful squeeze on his shoulder.

"What's that supposed to mean? I was just asking Zack," Tifa smiled innocently, "Rufus owes Cloud and I one, so I think now we should be even," she looked on ahead, already spotting the dark smoke clouds, "I think they're already here," Genesis moved lower to the ground, eyes narrowing at the suspicious dark clouds overhead.

"Friends of yours, I presume?" he looked at the top of Tifa's dark head and failed to notice her small smile.

"You can say that," Zack sped up, more confident to drive faster now that the sounds of battle muffled the roar of the engine.

As they sped past, Zack noticed Reno attempting to bash in on one of the silver-haired remnants, the one with the guns, was it Yazoo? He chuckled, "Someone's enjoying it,"

Tifa nodded, gaze slightly distant as she thought over the words Vincent had relayed to her a day prior.

 _I've made a promise I failed to keep…_

 _'_ _Cloud…'_ Tifa's heart clenched painfully and her fist tightened in anger. She would put a stop to this with everyone else, she wouldn't allow Hojo to mess up Cloud's mind and memories again.

Not this time.

Tifa focused back on the present, "Up ahead," she spoke lowly close to Zack's ear and the ex-SOLDIER nodded, slowing to a stop several feet behind the makeshift lair.

Tifa jumped off the motorcycle while Genesis landed gracefully beside them, eyeing the rundown place, "The Cetra had an affinity for the planet and its natural flow of energy," he eyed the aquatic motifs, and several smaller rundown houses nearby.

Zack dismounted Lycana and lifted his sword from his back, eyeing the coral-like facility suspiciously, a hint of remorse and remembrance in his eyes, "Yeah…you can say that again," memories of Aerith tending to her flowerbed in the rundown church appeared in his mind, how she sometimes talked to the flowers and not herself, as he discovered only later.

He dispelled the thoughts of the past and moved forward, "Come on, we can't lose any more time," Genesis drew his rapier and Tifa tightened the gloves on her hands, obviously ready for a fight.

Zack would expect nothing less, but still he turned to Tifa just shy of entering one of the back entrances, "Listen, Hojo is not your typical mad scientist stereotype, I mean, he _is_ but he's far more dangerous," Zack paused, breathing a shaky sigh, "He probably salvaged some of his equipment after Shinra's downfall, maybe, who knows what he has in there. If what we assume is true, he may have one of the tubes Cloud and I were trapped in to create more mindless clones," his jaw tightened, "Whatever happens in there, whatever we _see_ -"

Tifa suddenly stopped him with a hand to his cheek, "Zack," he stopped and blinked at her and she smiled at him calmly, "We were a terrorist group and one of the biggest threats to Shinra as AVALANCHE, we've…seen our fair share of experimentation and I saw firsthand what it did to Cloud, to his mind," she glanced at the entrance, "You're right, it's gonna be scary but…we pulled through until now, right?" she smiled and Zack nodded affirmatively.

Genesis allowed the smallest of smiles to grace his lips, wondering what experiences the barmaid must have went through as an active member of the eco-terrorist group he'd heard of.

"Right, let's go then," Zack gestured for Tifa to move forward and none of the men expected for her, while moving as fluidly as a swan, to violently kick down the makeshift door and create a large hole, taking chunks of the aquatic-looking substance coating the building with it.

Genesis smirked and rested his rapier on his shoulder, "Talk about _femme fatale,_ hm?" he chuckled at Zack's slightly stunned look, before the younger male straightened and moved forward, silently wondering how a person could look so graceful while violently kicking down a door...and since when Genesis had a certain affinity for strong-minded, ass-kicking women like Tifa. He didnt know if the fact that Genesis thought of her that way unnerved him more than the fact that Tifa, in her own way, enchanted him more than any belly-dancing, revealing seductress could.

Right, Hojo.

The interior was stuffy, humid, the Cetra race having long been extinguished and no traces of any lifeform except several selective plants lining the curved walls and shell-like layers inside.

It looked messy, as if someone ransacked it in search of something, Genesis spotted a shattered piece of what appeared to be a coral-like frame, the tattered, soggy remains of what must have once been a picture still within the frame. It was whitish, greenish with blots of grey, unrecognizable of what it once was but Genesis could imagine it must have belonged to a family, perhaps even a united photo of higher ranking Cetra.

The trio advanced forward, toward one of the rooms, but they stopped at the entrance.

Three tubes, filled with an aquamarine-greenish substance glowed brightly, thick cables attached to its sides, two adults and a child floating within the cocoon-like space.

Zack's eyes flew open and Genesis stiffened beside him before the glass was shattered with a flick of his signature red rapier, the liquid flowing out of it freely, a sickening smell, something much more pungent than mako, invaded their senses and Tifa had to cover her nose in order to bear it.

Zack's eyes narrowed when he kneeled down to feel for a pulse on the child and found none.

Genesis lightly kicked the unconscious man on the ground and he too, checked for a pulse, Zack checked the other man as well.

Their gazes locked, "They're alive," Genesis's voice was grave, as if he expected the outcome as he tilted one of the man's faces toward the ceiling, "But they've responded negatively to the tainted mako, they have mako poisoning," The look on their faces, the comatose empty stare reminded Zack all too strongly of the time Cloud had been poisoned like this.

"Shit…just how many were infected like this?" Zack suddenly noticed Tifa to be too quiet, the opposite of her fighting spirit earlier, "Tifa?" when he turned, there was a serene, sad expression on her face.

"…Did Cloud look like this too?" Zack didn't know how to answer her, he knew he had to tell her the truth, he just didn't know how to phrase it. Obviously, Genesis had no such reservations.

His tone was clear, almost detached, which spoke of years of experience among emotional detachment that came with the job, "Yes, the glassy-eyed stare and the green eyes are normal," he paused, as if considering his next words, "But these people didn't have anyone to wake them up from their nightmare and so I imagine, they will continue to dwell within the coma until we can find a cure,"

Find a cure. The driving force behind Cloud's extensive, secret trips to various libraries and research of medical books on Geostigma to find a cure for Denzel, "…What if we don't?" Tifa's question was quiet and Genesis looked at her beneath red bangs.

"Hasn't your soldier looked into Geostigma searching a cure for the boy?" she didn't need to answer, Genesis already knew the answer, "With a little more help and Sephiroth's defeat, a cure shouldn't be too far out of reach,"

He looked up at the ceiling, a sickly green just like the rest of the makeshift experimentation room, "Let's not waste time, we need to find Hojo,"

Tifa's thoughtful look vanished in an instant and she seemed ready for a battle. Zack took one long, last look at the two unconscious bodies on the ground, the other dead. With a respectful nod, he left the room after his other two companions, wishing that they wouldn't find more of them.

More test tubes or more dead bodies, Zack preferred neither.

Still, they found more.

Two more rooms contained three test tubes, half of the test subjects dead, the other half stuck in a comatose state.

"They're not here," Genesis looked up at the sky, the ceiling having long been destroyed whether from the remnants or time, they couldn't tell.

Zack grit his teeth, "They _have_ to be. You said yourself that Cloud had been here, that their base is here, where else could they be?"

Blue eyes narrowed in warning at the younger male, "Since when did you have such a temper, Zack the puppy? Just because your sources lack vital information doesn't mean you get to bark at _me, pup_ ," Zack seized the older soldier up, suddenly looking read for a repeat of their last battle until Tifa suddenly, roughly, pushed against their chests and created a fair amount of distance between them.

"Enough!" her voice, her soft, soothing voice hid the irritation that was reflected on her face, she fixed them both with a hard stare, "Pushing the blame onto each-other will get us nowhere! We have to find Cloud first," she looked around the room again, "It looks like neither Hojo nor Cloud are here, maybe they left as soon as they heard the ambush from outside,"

Zack crossed his arms and tried not to give Genesis a death glare, "But how were they supposed to do that? We went in only minutes after the fight began,"

Genesis turned to look at the entrance they had come from, "Unless their base wasn't _here_ , to begin with," Zack followed his line of sight: outside.

"You think they moved deeper into the capital?" he tried hard to remember what limited knowledge he possessed of the ancient place, "Wait, but aren't there only rundown houses? None of them are fit for a lab or any experimentation Hojo has planned," he honestly couldn't imagine, not even a mad scientist such as Hojo, to be able to use a small house to his advantage when dealing with substances like mako.

"…Unless he built some sort of base, underground, a space large enough for his experiments," a cold shiver raced down Zack's spine at the serious look on Genesis' face.

"You can't be serious," it was Tifa this time. Zack couldn't blame her for being horrified. If Hojo built some underground base large enough for his scientific experiments then that meant…

Zack's fists clenched, "A space large enough to fit successful test subjects in and keep them hidden until Sephiroth's revival," the sounds of battle from outside rang in his ears and yet, they sounded distant, almost like the sound of rushing waves.

Genesis' slow nod confirmed Zack's suspicion. It was a smart move on Hojo's part really. Keeping those injected with the tainted mako hidden not only secured them a wider infected populace but also ensured that Tifa and the others could free them.

An underground base was a fortress of defense, one wrong move and the entire place could fall in on itself. There wasn't much leeway to conduct stealth missions or surprise attacks and they had no idea where it could even _be_.

"Damn," Zack cursed, kicking at a abandoned shell. Tifa watched the little piece roll on the ground in silence.

"We should retreat," she spoke suddenly and Zack was surprised to find Genesis agreeing, "We don't have any new information on where they could be. The remnants probably knew we would come here and pretended to treat this as their main operating base, just to lead us on,"

But Zack had no intention of giving up, not when they were so _close_ , "We _can't_ back out now! We can just capture one of the remnants and force them to tell us where Hojo is!" even in his emotional state, Zack could tell it was a stupid idea.

Genesis' snort only added fuel to the fire, "A fine idea, considering one of them is dimwitted, the other apathetic and the leader far too loyal to his 'mother' he would die before telling us anything,"

Zack didn't care if he sounded emotional, or like his old, childish self, but the thought of having Cloud remain any longer under Hojo's control and have more people, more _children_ dying from the effects of the tainted mako pulled at his nerves, "Then we'll- we'll just-just _force_ them okay?! I don't care how as long as they tell us where Cloud and Hojo are!"

Tifa attempted to calm him down with a hand to his forearm, "Zack-"

The soldier shook his head and backed away, "No! Listen, you have no idea what it's like coming back from the dead and seeing your old war buddy, your _best friend_ alive but not _living_! Cloud's like a walking shell of his old self! I don't want to see him in the same state he's been in when _I_ was too weak to do anything to help him!" Zack hefted his sword into the air, " _Now_ , now when I'm strong and alive and can _fight_ and _be there_ for him, now I have to disappoint him too?" his voice cracked at the end and he felt the burning rage fill him from the inside.

He didn't let rage often consume him, but the feeling of helplessness was too great, especially now when they thought they were making progress but instead those _bastards_ were one step ahead of them!

He stormed outside then, ignoring Tifa's worried call and almost immediately a remnant was upon him. Zack's fast reflexes made him automatically parry against the long, thin katana aimed at his torso.

Flashes of Masamune appeared in his mind, but the blade was too short and not thin enough, it _wasn't_ Masamune but when Zack looked into the familiar toxin green eyes, they _did_ remind him of Sephiroth.

It was Kadaj instead, snickering, almost self-satisfied despite the obvious marks of battle all over him, "Searching for our beloved brother again, are you?" the smirk on his face made Zack want to split him in two.

He pushed against the sword and drove Kadaj back, "As far as I know, Cloud doesn't _have_ any brothers!" his gaze narrowed when he saw Cid and Barret on the ground, being protected by Vincent's cloak while the gunslinger was dealing with the other remnants, Yazoo.

Kadaj giggled, almost amused, deliriously so, "Our mother would disagree," and suddenly, the child-like delirium on his face melted into a dark frown, "First, you hide our dear mother away from us and now you wish to take our brother as well?" the katana flashed in different directions and Zack quickly adjusted his stance, shifting from reverse grip to his normal one to deflect each sword strike.

Fighting against a smaller, faster weapon with his large one wasn't an easy feat, but Zack thankfully had practice in dealing with small-scale weapons.

He didn't _only_ have his sword after all.

When Kadaj jumped high in the air to land a frontal aerial attack, Zack pivoted on one foot and balanced on his hands, using the momentum to send a bone-crushing kick to Kadaj's stomach but getting nicked by his sword on his knee.

Zack barely flinched, quickly shifting to his feet again as soon as Kadaj hit the ground.

When the remnant moved in for another blow, a wall of fire blocked his path and Zack's gaze bounced to two black wings in the sky.

Kadaj's gaze narrowed, a bit of fear present in his eyes, "Who are _you_?" his voice was dripping with venom but Zack recognized the defensive stance he suddenly took. It seemed like even a delusional remnant like Kadaj recognized Genesis' power far superior to his own.

Genesis smirked, "A fragment of an old friend fails to recognize the great Genesis Raphsodos?" with a dramatic flick of his wrist, Gensis pushed his hair back and his gaze spelled trouble, "How very disappointing, you wound me, _old friend_ ," the unexpected, sharp dive even surprised Kadaj, who hastily brought his katana up to just barely so clash swords with Genesis, who took him to the air with strong beats of his wings.

Now, there was evident fear on Kadaj's face the more vicious Genesis grew, his fiery attacks just a blur.

His taunting only infuriated the remnant, "What's wrong? Can't the _monster_ keep up with rotting flesh?" his challenging look did nothing to quench the sudden inferno igniting within Kadaj.

It seemed like the bitter remark triggered old memories from the real Sephiroth, because Kadaj's movements suddenly grew sloppy, aggressive, fast, fueled by rage.

With the intent to kill.

Genesis chuckled, fire dancing between Kadaj's blade, Genesis effortlessly evading every move.

"Brother!" it was Yazoo that called, shooting six bullets in rapid succession to create distance between Genesis and his brother, whose emotions obviously got the better of him in this fight, "We have to retreat, their reinforcements came in," from the corner of his eye, Genesis saw Reno and Rude carrying explosives, obviously not yet done by the fight they earlier fought.

Black, tendril-like smoke appeared from between Kadaj's fingers and before the remnants could vanish, Kadaj fixed Genesis with a vengeful glare, "You _will_ rot, Genesis,"

It was Kadaj's voice that said the words, but in Genesis mind, Sephiroth's voice took over and it brought him back to that terrible accident years ago, when Sephiroth went on a rampage upon finding out his true heritage.

A pang of something… _familiar_ hit the former elite SOLDIER and Genesis was reminded of a distant memory, this time from his homeland in Banora, where he had felt guilt for accidentally hurting Angeal when they had played outside in the fields.

He landed soundlessly on the ground and Zack was upon him in seconds, "What the hell was that?!" he sounded angry, he probably had remembered Nibelheim too, "You're going to provoke him with the same jerk behavior you did back then?" Genesis didn't expect the strong hold on his shoulder, reminiscent of Angeal's in the rare times the man had gotten angry, to turn him toward Zack, "Hadn't that been enough Genesis?!"

The former First Class remained silent, averting his gaze from the younger man to glare at the spot where Kadaj had been.

" _That had…definitely been Sephiroth speaking for a moment…"_ Genesis closed his eyes and thought.

 _'_ _My friend, the fates are cruel.  
There are no dreams, no honor remains.  
The arrow has left the bow of the goddess.  
My soul, corrupted by vengeance-_

Genesis paused, not noticing Zack leave his side, he failed to notice the group gathering to discuss their next move, he only stared at his gloved hand.

After a moment of silence, the agonized expression on Sephiroth's face when he revealed the truth about Jenova resurfaced in his mind and he clenched his fist tightly.

His eyes opened and they mirrored the meaning of his whispered words, "…seeks salvation, not from the goddess…" his gaze lifted to the sky and he swore he saw a pure white feather briefly float in his vision, "…from a hero born of the failures of you and I…born from our endless agony,"

Genesis hung his head and for the first time in what felt like a century, he felt remorse.

 **Thank you all for reading! I'll try to focus on updating this story more** **:)**


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